1. Bee Awareness
The first step in helping bees is getting to know them and what they need to not only survive but thrive. North America is home to about 4,000 native bee species. None make honey. About 10% are social (like bumblebees). The remaining 90% bees are solitary bees that nest underground or in holes. Approx. 1,000 nest in holes in reeds or wood. All of these bees come in different sizes, colors, and shapes. Many solitary bees have short flying ranges of a few hundred feet and your backyard can be a safe place for them to live and grow.
2. Plant Flowers
Adult bees feed themselves with nectar and they feed their young with a mixture of nectar and pollen for protein and fat. Flowers that are native to your area provide the best nectar and pollen and native plants are sometimes hosts to native bees that specialize on their flowers. Consider adding a native plant to your garden or patio. Find your local Native Plant Society and check out the Pollinator Partnership's region-specific planting guides.
3. Reduce & Avoid Lawn Chemicals
Pesticides can harm and kill bees. Ensure that the plants and seeds you purchase have not been treated with neonicotinoid pesticides which are systemic, meaning that they are in every part of the plant. Also beware of the phrase "coated to absorb more water," which may mean the seeds were coated with chemicals. Ask if you can buy untreated seeds.
Neonic pesticides can reduce fertility in male and female bees and hinder their ability to learn and remember. Herbicides might not harm bees but we know that their scent can deter native bees that had previously lived happily in a customer's yard. The Northwest Center for Alternative Pesticides is a great place to start learning about reducing and avoiding pesticides. Your choice to avoid lawn chemicals will also make insects and fish downstream of your land safer, happier, and healthier.
By reducing weed killer use on your lawn, flowering plants such as clover will find their way back to your lawn. This makes for a healthier lawn for you and the bees. Bees love clover!
4. Provide Nesting Habitat
Native hole-nesting bees are searching for nesting sites that are the right diameter and depth, made of natural materials, and sheltered from wind and rain. Our nesting tubes and reeds are designed to meet the needs of these bees and are available right here in our Online Store.
To support ground-nesting bees, give them a sunny spot that is free of mulch and landscape fabric. It might seem like they love the places we like to walk but it's more likely that we happen to notice them there as we walk through. Remember that their time spent flying as adults is only a few weeks, give them the chance to finish what they are meant to do!
5. Reintroduce Bees
Mason and leafcutter bees are native to North America but they may be missing from your yard or garden. Bring hole-nesting bees back to where they belong. They are available for purchase in our Online Store. Raising both mason and leafcutter bees is also a really great way to get to know spring and summer bees' habits, lifecycles, and needs.
6. Protect & Refresh Nesting Materials
Pests and diseases are nature's way of balancing an ecosystem. Too many of one thing attracts predators from mold spores to wolves. Because we need food to feed ourselves, we need to find a way to give nature a helping hand without causing harm.
After female bees are done flying, place the filled nesting materials into a fine mesh bag to protect against small parasitic wasps. Keep the nesting materials in a location that has outdoor temperatures, like a garage or garden shed. Refresh nesting materials in the spring. New nesting materials greatly reduce the spread of diseases like chalkbrood (a fungal infection) and pests like pollen mites (which eat the pollen loaf before the larvae can).
7. Harvest Cocoons
The simplest and easiest way to ensure the health of your native bees is by harvesting cocoons in the fall. Diseases and pests are separated from healthy cocoons and you can take inventory of your cocoons. You can learn about the nest building material that your local native bees need. You may also find beneficial solitary wasps living in your materials, these large wasps are a sign of a healthy and balanced garden.
8. Share: Cocoons & Knowledge
Once you learn how to raise native bees in your yard, you can't help but be excited to share what you know. You will likely have more cocoons than your garden needs and you can share your awesome pollinators with local friends and family.
The first step in helping bees is getting to know them and what they need to not only survive but thrive. North America is home to about 4,000 native bee species. None make honey. About 10% are social (like bumblebees). The remaining 90% bees are solitary bees that nest underground or in holes. Approx. 1,000 nest in holes in reeds or wood. All of these bees come in different sizes, colors, and shapes. Many solitary bees have short flying ranges of a few hundred feet and your backyard can be a safe place for them to live and grow.
2. Plant Flowers
Adult bees feed themselves with nectar and they feed their young with a mixture of nectar and pollen for protein and fat. Flowers that are native to your area provide the best nectar and pollen and native plants are sometimes hosts to native bees that specialize on their flowers. Consider adding a native plant to your garden or patio. Find your local Native Plant Society and check out the Pollinator Partnership's region-specific planting guides.
3. Reduce & Avoid Lawn Chemicals
Pesticides can harm and kill bees. Ensure that the plants and seeds you purchase have not been treated with neonicotinoid pesticides which are systemic, meaning that they are in every part of the plant. Also beware of the phrase "coated to absorb more water," which may mean the seeds were coated with chemicals. Ask if you can buy untreated seeds.
Neonic pesticides can reduce fertility in male and female bees and hinder their ability to learn and remember. Herbicides might not harm bees but we know that their scent can deter native bees that had previously lived happily in a customer's yard. The Northwest Center for Alternative Pesticides is a great place to start learning about reducing and avoiding pesticides. Your choice to avoid lawn chemicals will also make insects and fish downstream of your land safer, happier, and healthier.
By reducing weed killer use on your lawn, flowering plants such as clover will find their way back to your lawn. This makes for a healthier lawn for you and the bees. Bees love clover!
4. Provide Nesting Habitat
Native hole-nesting bees are searching for nesting sites that are the right diameter and depth, made of natural materials, and sheltered from wind and rain. Our nesting tubes and reeds are designed to meet the needs of these bees and are available right here in our Online Store.
To support ground-nesting bees, give them a sunny spot that is free of mulch and landscape fabric. It might seem like they love the places we like to walk but it's more likely that we happen to notice them there as we walk through. Remember that their time spent flying as adults is only a few weeks, give them the chance to finish what they are meant to do!
5. Reintroduce Bees
Mason and leafcutter bees are native to North America but they may be missing from your yard or garden. Bring hole-nesting bees back to where they belong. They are available for purchase in our Online Store. Raising both mason and leafcutter bees is also a really great way to get to know spring and summer bees' habits, lifecycles, and needs.
6. Protect & Refresh Nesting Materials
Pests and diseases are nature's way of balancing an ecosystem. Too many of one thing attracts predators from mold spores to wolves. Because we need food to feed ourselves, we need to find a way to give nature a helping hand without causing harm.
After female bees are done flying, place the filled nesting materials into a fine mesh bag to protect against small parasitic wasps. Keep the nesting materials in a location that has outdoor temperatures, like a garage or garden shed. Refresh nesting materials in the spring. New nesting materials greatly reduce the spread of diseases like chalkbrood (a fungal infection) and pests like pollen mites (which eat the pollen loaf before the larvae can).
7. Harvest Cocoons
The simplest and easiest way to ensure the health of your native bees is by harvesting cocoons in the fall. Diseases and pests are separated from healthy cocoons and you can take inventory of your cocoons. You can learn about the nest building material that your local native bees need. You may also find beneficial solitary wasps living in your materials, these large wasps are a sign of a healthy and balanced garden.
8. Share: Cocoons & Knowledge
Once you learn how to raise native bees in your yard, you can't help but be excited to share what you know. You will likely have more cocoons than your garden needs and you can share your awesome pollinators with local friends and family.
