![]() The queen bumble bee hibernates in the winter, then emerges in the spring to collect nectar, rebuild her strength, and find a suitable nest location. Click on this link to learn more fascinating details about a year in the life of a bumble bee from the Xerces Society. In California, we have about 1,600 species of native bees, and 26 of these are bumble bees. The bumble bee is the largest and gentlest of all the known species of bees. Some insecticides, like the widely used neonicotinoids, can impact bee health long after they are applied.Did you know that honey bees were imported from Europe and are not native to the United States? Honey bee collects pollen. Many bee support plants, like those listed above, are available at Maine greenhouses, garden centers, and nurseries. At four Maine sites, we are collecting data about plants that attract native bees and honey bees. Our 5-year project began in spring 2012. Xerces Society Pollinator Conservation Fact Sheets.Fact Sheet #630, Wild Bee Conservation for Wild Blueberry Fields.Fact sheet #301, Field Conservation Management of Native Leafcutting and Mason Osmia Bees.Bulletin #7153, Understanding Native Bees, the Great Pollinators: Enhancing Their Habitat in Maine.Identify problems early, and treat them in alternative ways to avoid the need for these chemicals. Herbicides and fungicides also weaken bees. It’s fun to observe and photograph them in action.īees are weakened or killed by chemical applications, especially insecticides. Enjoy the bees! Few native bees sting.Leave a few weeds or “wild spots” at the edges of your landscape.For more plant suggestions, see resources in For more information.To expand your bee plant list, consider plants in the Sunflower Family (“daisies” such as sunflower, dahlia, echinops, sneezeweed, erigeron) and Mint Family (catmint, basil, lemon balm, beebalm, salvia).Reduce the size of your lawn to create space for a more diverse array of plants.Place nest blocks and bundled hollow stems under an overhang to protect from rain and prevent mold.Focus on sunny sites, as most good bee plants do best in full sun.Provide plantings that bloom at various times throughout the season, to attract a diversity of bees.Bee nest boxes are decorative and useful.īees are attracted to large patches of flowers plant them in areas of 3 feet x 3 feet, or larger.Design tips for your bee-friendly landscape Build a nest block (see For more information) or hang bundles of dried hollow sunflower stems to attract cavity-nesting native bees. Bunch grasses might attract bumble bees, which occupy old mouse nests. Leave bare patches of ground for those native bees that build nests in soil. Provide a variety of sites to accommodate a variety of bees. Change water frequently, both for the bees and the birds. Perennials: aster, bottle gentian, phlox, yellow and purple coneflowers, goldenrodįloat a piece of wood in a birdbath to provide a landing platform.Annuals: single-flowered marigold, borage, tickseed, blanketflowerīee gathering pollen from ‘Mary Queen of Scots’ rose.Perennials: milkweed, purple coneflower, blazingstar, mint, oregano.Shrubs: spirea, rose, summersweet, rosebay rhododendron.Perennials: blueberries, bugloss, lungwort, pigsqueak, crocus, viola.Trees: maples, apples, shadbush, willows, cherries, plums, native honeysuckles.Bees need food from early spring through late fall. Plant multiple pollen- and nectar-producing plants for each season. It’s all about habitat Bee on native bush honeysuckle 1. We benefit from this when we eat apples, blueberries, cucumbers, cranberries, pumpkins, squashes and other crops that depend on bees for pollination. When they forage for nectar and pollen, they help plants produce seeds and fruits for reproduction. Trees, shrubs, fruits, vegetables and flower gardens in our landscapes can be important sources of nectar and pollen for the more than 250 species of native Maine bees, and for introduced honey bees.īee-friendly landscapes are places where bees can forage, build nests, and rear their young. In urban landscapes, many flowering plants common in native plant communities have been largely replaced by houses, roads, and relatively flower-less landscapes dominated by lawns. In Maine, bees are the most important pollinators of fruits and nuts.īees need pollen and nectar from flowers in order to live and reproduce. Why should you develop a bee-friendly landscape?īees are important to nature and to the human diet. provides season-long beauty, diversity, and interest.ensures good pollination of your vegetables and fruits. ![]() Bumble bee on purple coneflower A bee-friendly landscape
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