CREATE A GARDEN HABITAT TO ATTRACT BEES
Worldwide there’s concern that the survival of many bee populations — in particular honeybees (Apis mellifera) — is threatened by several complex factors that will require a multi-pronged approach to resolve.
The loss of natural habitat, stress, the lack of nutrition, the use of neonicotinoid insecticides, a parasitic mite ( Varroa destructor), and many bacterial and viral diseases seem to be the prime causes of decline in all bee species.
The problem is not only the loss of these valuable pollinators; it is also the fact that approximately one-third of the food we eat today would not be in stores without these invaluable allies.
The farming community would be devastated without these hardworking insects. They pollinate 90 per cent of all apples, blueberries and vegetables like broccoli and onions, and 80 per cent of cucumbers, celery and cherries, both homegrown and commercial crops. All almonds are pollinated 100 per cent by bees, and that’s a $4-billion dollar industry.
So, how can the gardening community help? Although there’s no simple solution, we can start by making a thoughtful commitment to provide bee-friendly habitats to help replace the ones lost. Bees are very resourceful, and can adapt to a number of situations, even in urbanized areas. With over 4,000 species of native bees in North America, we need to attract not only honeybees, but also many other species, like mason bees and bumblebees.
Honeybees are relatively recent introductions, brought by early settlers from Europe in the 1700s. According to Brian Campbell, bee expert at West Coast Seeds, 80 per cent of wild honeybees make their nests in the ground.
In highly urbanized areas, they may resort to cavities they find in trees, fences and older buildings. Campbell says bees tend to nest underground near an edge, such as between turf and a garden bed or between a stone wall and a lawn area. He also emphasized how important it is to respect our soils and not drench them with harmful pesticides. The areas where we intend to grow these bee-friendly plants must be free of all contaminants.
To accommodate all bees, not just honeybees, we need to choose long-blooming plants that will provide both pollen and nectar over a continuous period. On the West Coast, depending upon the length and severity of the winter, it is often possible to have blooming plants in our gardens year-round.
Bees are attracted to many different types of flowering plants, from annuals and perennials to trees and shrubs. Native plants are the most preferred, but many great new perennials have longer flowering periods, starting earlier and finishing later. When creating a bee-friendly habitat, think of all the best habitat practices, for example, providing water and nesting areas, such as old tree stumps. Birds are natural bee predators, so, don’t put bird feeders and bird houses near bee habitat areas.
The issue of providing urban habitats for bees can be complex. Honeybees prefer flowers with more nectar, while mason bees tend to prefer flowers with more pollen. To my knowledge, there is not a great deal of research on which flowers provide the most nectar or the most pollen, and in what proportions. A very diverse planting is thus essential for a successful bee-friendly garden, and that can be a bit of a challenge in small garden spaces.
The good news is many flowers provide both pollen and nectar during the main growing season from April through September (some favourite perennials include agastache “Blue Boa,” centaurea “Carmia” and the new, mildew-resistant varieties of scabiosa). Finding earlier and later-flowering sources is more difficult, however, and regional hardiness zones are important.
Some great candidates for cooler months of the year include:
Helleborus nigers. New varieties, like “Jacob” and “Josef Lemper” flower in early December in zone 6, and somewhat later in zone 5 depending upon the severity of the winter. In February and March, the large family of Helleborus orientalis (zone 5) are fabulous bee magnets.
Winter-flowering heathers, mostly Erica carneas, will flower from November through April in zone 6.
Mahonia media “Charity” and “Winter Sun” (zone 6) start to flower in late December/January and continue through to April, providing nectar and pollen for both bees and Anna’s hummingbirds.
Mahonia aquifolium, the hardiest variety, is ideal for colder areas (zones 2 to 5) and blooms in April and May.
Two very hardy (zone 1), oldtime favourites, the Michaelmas daisy and Aster “novi-belgii,” are both great choices for fall pollen and nectar.
Late-blooming perennial rudbeckias, like the tall, stately “Herbstonne,” push pollen and nectar until the end of October.
Heliopsis “Table Mountain” (zone 4), is the very latest blooming perennial I know, often blooming in late October through November.
Observation is the key, and with a little careful sleuthing you can easily spot very early and very late-blooming perennials and shrubs.
When you see any flower that is attracting a wide range of bees, take note and add it to your collection.
The gardening community can make a significant contribution to the welfare of all bees by creating much-needed new habitats.
Whenever you see flowers on your trees, perennials, and annuals smothered in bees, you will know you are helping one of nature’s most critical allies.
For lists of bee-friendly plants visit feedthebees.org, or plantsomethingbc.ca.