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You can attract and protect honeybees and other important pollinators in your garden. Feed them. Shelter them. Don’t kill them. Sound simple? It really is!
We've all heard about Colony Collapse Disorder and the need to protect Honeybees in North America. Other pollinators also need our encouragement, including other bee species and many little wasps and flies that may go unnoticed in our gardens. The more little pollinators we have buzzing around, the more fruit we'll harvest from our trees and the more color we'll have next year from reseeding annuals. What can we do to encourage and protect pollinators in our gardens? The answers may be simpler than you'd suppose.
Feed them.
I'm sure you've noticed bees and other insects buzzing around your flowers, and you've probably noticed that they have some especial favorites. The names of some plants makes it obvious -- Bee Balm (Monarda), Agastache ‘Honey Bee Blue', Honeysuckle. Diversity is key. If you have lots of different plants with different bloom times, your garden will feed the bees from early spring through fall.
Bees love fruit orchards, but they visit other trees and shrubs also. Varieties of Red Maple, Redbud, Tupelo, Rhododendron, Privet, Abelia, and others are on the menu during their blooming periods. Good nectar plants for butterflies will generally attract other pollinators, so check out lists of "butterfly plants" for your area. Butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii), Milkweed (Asclepias sp.), Pincushion Flower (Scabiosa), Verbena bonariensis, Phlox panticulata, and Asters are all excellent for attracting both butterflies and bees. If you let a few of your herbs bloom rather than pinching back every plant for culinary use, you'll find pollinators love them too - especially Lavenders, Mints, Catnip, Basils, Borage, Sages and Salvias.
Clover is more a nuisance to keep out of your lawn. Honeybees and other pollinators adore clover, and it has a long bloom season. White or Dutch Clover makes an excellent "green mulch" between garden rows to keep down weeds and add nitrogen to the soil (just till it in at the end of the season). Bunnies rarely seem to bother my other plants if they have plenty of tender clover to nibble. Both white and red perennial clovers make excellent orchard ground covers. The more pollinators you attract to your orchard, the better your harvest will be!
Shelter them.
A nest of aggressive yellow jackets under the back stairs is a hazard, but don't discourage bees and wasps from nesting in other areas of your yard. Different pollinators have different requirements, from the hollow tree favored by Winnie the Pooh's favorite honey bees to the mud that daubers use to construct their organ-pipe nests. Providing shelter is often as simple as not taking away shelter or materials that they could use, and not automatically knocking down nests when you see them.
Many species of bees build nests in the ground, and one of the best ways to make your garden more bee-friendly is to limit your use of mulch, black plastic, and landscape cloth. If you like the look of mulch, perhaps you could strike a compromise. Mulch along the front portions of garden beds and along pathways, and leave bare dirt, leaf litter, or ground covers on less visible areas.
Orchard Mason Bees are one of the easiest pollinators to attract by providing housing. Making bee houses is quicker than building bird houses, and they can be made from blocks of scrap wood (don't use treated lumber). With a 5/16 inch bit, drill holes 3 to 5 inches deep but not all the way through the block. Wrapping blocks with chicken wire helps protect the bees from birds. Secure them to the south sides of buildings, fence posts, or trees, and leave them up until at least November. Orchard Mason Bees are first rate pollinators and are especially valuable in areas where honey bee populations have dwindled.
Don't kill them.
The fewer insecticides you use in your yard and garden, the more beneficial insects and pollinators you'll find out there. This doesn't mean you have to go totally organic in order to protect pollinators. Integrated pest management is a common sense approach that includes spraying only when needed (when you see a problem rather than on a schedule), and spraying the smallest amount possible of the least harmful pesticide that will take care of the problem. If you change your goal from "zero bugs on my precious plants" to "I can deal with a few bugs, as long as they don't overwhelm my plants," the amount of toxin you spray around your yard will drop dramatically. That's better for the pollinators, better for the beneficial predatory insects, better for your pets, and better for you.
If and when you must spray to control an infestation, spray during a time of day when most pollinators are inactive. This generally means early morning or late evening. If you spray your garden when bees are happily buzzing from flower to flower, you're going to kill a lot of bees. If you spray while the bees are snoozing, the bees won't be flying through toxic mist or landing on blooms wet with chemicals.
Take steps to minimize drift when you spray. Less drift means the spray goes only on the plants you're trying to protect and doesn't kill bees visiting other plants nearby. Less drift also means you save money by using less spray. Using the largest droplet size possible rather than a fine mist and spraying only when the air is calm (winds less than 10 mph) will minimize drift.
Protect pollinators! Attract them and feed them by including a good diversity of nectar plants in your garden. Shelter them by encouraging their hive building efforts and by putting up bee houses. Don't kill them by overusing pesticides or by spraying during the day when they are most active. Encouraging beneficial insects helps the bees, helps your garden, and helps ensure our future.
Photos in this article were taken by me in my garden.
About Jill M. Nicolaus
Better known as "Critter" on DG, Jill gardens in Frederick, MD. This week, I've been cutting lavender, putting up pluots (plum-apricot fruits), and pulling weeds (always, LOL). I love being outside in the cooler morning -- coffee cup in one hand, watering hose in the other -- watching the birds and butterflies among the flowers.(Images in my articles are from my photos, unless otherwise credited.)
Posted by TexasTam (from Plano, TX) on May 13, 2008 at 10:41 AM:
Great stuff, Critter. Really good, timely advice, and lovely photos. It's high time people changed their way of thinking about insects.
(Also, thanks for the plug for my IPM articles!)
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Posted by critterologist (from Frederick, MD) on May 13, 2008 at 10:44 AM:
:-)
I realized this morning that I hadn't linked your articles at the bottom, so I fixed that first thing. You did a nice job of summarizing IPM basics and putting them into practical terms!
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Posted by Seedtosser1 (from Glenview, IL) on May 13, 2008 at 2:05 PM:
I enjoyed reading your article critter.
Very informational. Great closeup photos.
I have a giant bee nest under the shrub in the yard...LOL we just walk way around it.
But I will take a good look at what kind they are I might be able to id them from your article,
Thanks!
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Posted by critterologist (from Frederick, MD) on May 13, 2008 at 3:14 PM:
Er... I don't think my article is much good for identification, sorry about that... but you can probably get some help over in the bug ID forum! [HYPERLINK@davesgarden.com]
I'm glad you liked the article. :-)
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Subject: If you grow them....
Posted by Chantell (from Middle of, VA) on May 13, 2008 at 9:57 AM:
...they will come!! Great Job - Jill!!! Wish more folks were filled with joy instead of fear when they see these little guys ~ they are amazing to watch!!
This message was edited May 13, 2008 9:58 AM
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Posted by critterologist (from Frederick, MD) on May 13, 2008 at 10:01 AM:
Fabulous photo, Chantell!
You're right. My nieces & nephews are learning that you can get really close to look at bees (as long as you don't actually grab them LOL) when they are busy with the flowers! I asked a visiting kid once, when he was looking fearfully at a big bumblebee in the lavender, "Do you really think that bee wants to sting you, or do you think he is too busy drinking up that delicious flower?" He pondered and answered, quite seriously, "I think he wants to sting me. Can we go inside now?" ROFL!
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Posted by Chantell (from Middle of, VA) on May 13, 2008 at 10:08 AM:
Ahhh the words of babes...LOL. The teens are no better....I've tried explaining just that....when they question why I MUST continue to plant MORE plants that "just attract bees!" UGH!!! Why? b/c the bees and I enjoy the same plants (just added yet another type of Lavender)...as do the butterflies (as you mentioned) and with some the hummers. Can life get any better then that?!? Matter-a-fact had a little honey (?) bee that made its way into the house. DD thought I was nuts when I grabbed an index card and glass - caught him and put him back outside...just shook her head (silly girl) - to me though, The Starfish Story came to mind..."it made a difference for that one"
This message was edited May 13, 2008 10:11 AM
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Posted by critterologist (from Frederick, MD) on May 13, 2008 at 10:36 AM:
I do the same thing! Ants in the house, on the other hand, get no mercy... ;-)
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Posted by Chantell (from Middle of, VA) on May 13, 2008 at 11:38 AM:
Amen, sister...amen!
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Posted by robcorreia (from San Diego, CA) on May 13, 2008 at 12:06 PM:
I sometimes see a huge, black bee in my garden. Does anybody know what it is?
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Posted by Chantell (from Middle of, VA) on May 13, 2008 at 12:07 PM:
You oughta take a pic if you can and post in on the ID forum for buggies...I'm clueless....sorry
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Posted by robcorreia (from San Diego, CA) on May 13, 2008 at 12:11 PM:
There's no time to take a pic, know what I mean? My son said it's a "non bumble bee" whatever that means, lol
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Posted by Chantell (from Middle of, VA) on May 13, 2008 at 12:14 PM:
Yeah...I get em when they're drunk on pollen and staying pretty still. Ohhhh Jillll....do you know which buggie she's describing?
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Posted by critterologist (from Frederick, MD) on May 13, 2008 at 12:19 PM:
Sorry, no idea -- especially since we're talking about the other end of the country -- but the experts over in the bug ID forum might be able to suggest some possibilities in BugFiles for you to look at.
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Posted by robcorreia (from San Diego, CA) on May 13, 2008 at 12:52 PM:
I've been living in CA for 8 yrs and I had never seen those...I'll look in the BugFiles maybe I'll find it! They are about 4, 5 times to size of the average bees and all black..weird!
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Posted by mellielong (from Lutz, FL) on May 13, 2008 at 7:59 PM:
Rob, check out carpenter bees. I had this huge bee that kept following me when I was hiking and it turns out that's what it was. Apparently, they are very curious/territorial and will follow anything that moves in their area.
I raise butterflies so I've stopped using most pesticides, although I never used many to begin with. I notice the bees like my gaillardia (Blanket Flower, variety "Goblin"). I weed around them and they just fly from flower to flower ignoring me. I also see them a lot on the Spanish Needles (Bidens alba). They're considered a weed where I live but the butterflies and other insects absolutely love them so I usually leave some growing down by the road.
Melanie
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Posted by robcorreia (from San Diego, CA) on May 13, 2008 at 8:05 PM:
Melanie, I googled "carpenter bee" and that's not it! The one I see is much larger and kinda "fuzzy"...I'm even more curious now!
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Subject: Love those Bee's
Posted by bluekat76 (from Ijamsville, MD) on May 13, 2008 at 12:38 AM:
I love watching them and getting close enough to see all the pollen on their legs - very cool! Thanks for the reminder to look for borage that has reseeded and not pull it as a weed.
-Kim
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Posted by critterologist (from Frederick, MD) on May 13, 2008 at 9:57 AM:
LOL... this time of year, I stand there looking at little green sprouts popping up all over and trying to decide which "volunteers" are weeds to be pulled and which are plants that I want!
There should be a lot of fat, sassy bees out there in the sunshine today. (Oh, and this is O/T, but there's a new peony co-op that you might want to take a look at... I think I just want a couple, so we might be able to do a combined order.)
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Posted by bluekat76 (from Ijamsville, MD) on May 13, 2008 at 10:01 AM:
ENABLER! ♥
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Posted by critterologist (from Frederick, MD) on May 13, 2008 at 10:02 AM:
You know it... there is a fern leaf one... :-)
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Posted by Sharran (from Calvert City, KY) on May 13, 2008 at 6:27 PM:
Great article, Critter, and great that you thought to schedule it today. Thanks again!
Hello BK...
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Posted by critterologist (from Frederick, MD) on May 13, 2008 at 7:00 PM:
Well, we did agree that we needed a "bee day" LOL... your honey article was fabulous!
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Posted by Sharran (from Calvert City, KY) on May 13, 2008 at 7:04 PM:
Yep, and it has been a great BEEEEEEE day!
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Posted by critterologist (from Frederick, MD) on May 13, 2008 at 7:12 PM:
No kidding! I think I saw at least 8 or 9 different kinds out there this afternoon, not that I have any idea what exactly they are... :-)
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Posted by Sharran (from Calvert City, KY) on May 13, 2008 at 7:28 PM:
My brother goes into anaphylactic shock with a bee sting. I had to learn about bees really early.
We've all heard about Colony Collapse Disorder and the need to protect Honeybees in North America. Other pollinators also need our encouragement, including other bee species and many little wasps and flies that may go unnoticed in our gardens. The more little pollinators we have buzzing around, the more fruit we'll harvest from our trees and the more color we'll have next year from reseeding annuals. What can we do to encourage and protect pollinators in our gardens? The answers may be simpler than you'd suppose.
I'm sure you've noticed bees and other insects buzzing around your flowers, and you've probably noticed that they have some especial favorites. The names of some plants makes it obvious -- Bee Balm (Monarda), Agastache ‘Honey Bee Blue', Honeysuckle. Diversity is key. If you have lots of different plants with different bloom times, your garden will feed the bees from early spring through fall. 
Shelter them.
Don't kill them.
Protect pollinators! Attract them and feed them by including a good diversity of nectar plants in your garden. Shelter them by encouraging their hive building efforts and by putting up bee houses. Don't kill them by overusing pesticides or by spraying during the day when they are most active. Encouraging beneficial insects helps the bees, helps your garden, and helps ensure our future. 
