Learn important facts about native bees. Plant your garden with native bees in mind and help these powerful pollinators thrive.
Thousands of native bee species buzz about our continent, tending to our gardens and ecosystems. Some are obvious, like chunky bumblebees. Others are harder to spot, like tiny fairy bees. “Native bees come in all shapes, sizes and lifestyles,” says Francisco Garcia Bulle Bueno, a bee researcher and Director of Research and Conservation at the Butterfly Pavilion in Westminster, Colorado. “Some are solitary, others highly social; some nest in the ground and others in hollow stems or even inside snail shells.”
There are around 4,000 native bee species in the U.S., but surprisingly, honeybees are not one of them. Here are a few native species to keep an eye out for.
You’ll be abuzz about these delightful, reader-submitted photos of bees.
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Types of Native Bees
Long-horned bees (squash bees)
“They take coolness to another level with their ridiculously long, elegant antennae,” Francisco says. Look for these fuzzy fliers as they zoom between late-summer blooms such as sunflowers and squash, then curl up inside of petals to sleep for the night.
Leafcutter bees
Leafcutters cut tidy, circular pieces from the leaves of roses, legumes and other plants, which they then use to line their nests. You’ll see them carrying pollen from numerous garden plants, using the long hairs on their abdomen.
Bumblebees
These endearing, large, furry fliers sloppily shake flowers to get them to release more pollen, a method known as buzz pollination. Look for bumblebees in your garden near pepper, tomato and blueberry plants.
Sweat bees
If a small bee is showing interest in you on a hot day, it’s probably a sweat bee that’s attracted to your salty skin. Don’t worry, they rarely sting. Some are metallic green and blue, and “look like flying tiny gemstones, adding a beautiful visual to our ecosystems,” Francisco says.
Mining bees
Some of the first to emerge in spring, mining bees are smallish and dark colored. They prefer areas with loose soil near flower patches, where they nest underground. Look for small dirt mounds that resemble ant hills.
Attract and host mason bees in a bee house.
Flowers to Grow for Native Bees
To bring in types of bees you want to see in your yard, offer species of plants that are native to your area and collectively offer nectar, pollen, and nesting areas. An ideal mix includes varied flower colors and shapes, plus staggered blooming times from early spring through late fall.
In spring, try American plum, blue flax, pasque flower, sulphur flower buckwheat, and firecracker penstemon. For a great summertime garden, try asters, yarrow, daisies, bee balm, pearly everlasting and foxglove beardtongue. In fall, include Joe Pye weed, sunflower, goldenrod, asters, dotted gayfeather and rabbitbrush.
Bee vs hoverfly: meet the flies that look like bees.
Native Bees Need Your Help
For a vibrant garden, entice as many types of native bees into your yard as you can muster. These tiny ecosystem heroes are essential for pollinating countless fruits and vegetables, from tomatoes and apples to peppers and berries. “These super pollinators have evolved alongside specific native plants, so they are vital to the reproduction cycle of many of those too” says Mary Phillips, head of the National Wildlife Federation’s Garden for Wildlife program and Certified Wildlife Habitat. “The more native bees you have, the healthier and more robust your plants will be.”
Unfortunately, many native bee species are struggling with fragmented habitat and pesticides (especially neonicotinoids). To help them out, avoid pesticides and plant a variety of native plants. Leave some fallen logs and leaves undisturbed, let flower stalks overwinter for cavity-nesting species, and leave a few dirt patches or lightly mulched sunny areas open for those that nest underground. Finally, add clean water sources, such as shallow bowls with small pebbles.
“Observing native bees is a great way to connect with nature and learn about their hidden, mysterious world,” says Francisco. “Bees are simply the best! We should be grateful every day for them.”
About the Experts
Francisco Garcia Bulle Bueno is a bee researcher and Director of Research and Conservation at the Butterfly Pavilion in Westminster, Colorado. He holds a PhD in Environmental Science from the University of Sydney.
Mary Phillips is head of the National Wildlife Federation’s Garden for Wildlife program and Certified Wildlife Habitat. As an ambassador for nature, she keeps habitat gardening programs flourishing with sustainable practices and ever-evolving scientific knowledge.
