There are 4,000 native bee species in North America and they support natural ecosystems by keeping a healthy diversity among pollinators. Photo by Brad Huchteman / Unsplash.
By now we’ve all heard that domesticated honeybee populations continue to decline, endangering our food systems. Although farmers have come to rely on imported species of domesticated honeybees, hardier wild bees do some of the work, too. There are 4,000 native bee species in North America. They support natural ecosystems by keeping a healthy diversity among pollinators. But even they are facing threats. Here’s how to be a backyard beekeeper for wild bees.
Regions most at risk for native bee loss
Including native plants in your garden and yard will help provide habitat and sustenance for bees year round. By researching which native plants are most helpful to bees, you can plan a garden that is beneficial to their seasonal needs.
REGION 1
Local Species:
Miner Bees
Active Season:
June–July
Select Plant Food:
Mariposa Lily
Status:
Rare, Uncertain
Nesting:
Underground
REGION 2
Local Species:
Western Bumble Bee
Active Season:
April–September
Select Plant Food:
Rubber Rabbit Brush
Status:
Rare, In decline
Nesting:
Cavities
REGION 3
Local Species:
Sonoran Bumble Bee
Active Season:
June, September–October
Select Plant Food:
Goldeneye
Status:
Uncommon
Nesting:
Cavities
REGION 4
Local Species:
Eastern Carpenter Bee
Active Season:
April–October
Select Plant Food:
Lupine
Status:
Secure
Nesting:
Wood
REGION 5
Local Species:
Bicolored Sweat Bee
Active Season:
April–October
Select Plant Food:
Sunflower
Status:
Secure
Nesting:
Underground
Don’t forget:
Create sites for nesting
Seventy percent of native bee species nest in the ground. Clear patches of bare ground or create small sand pits for bees to nest in. Other species of bees nest in the beetle-bored cavities of dead wood. Leave pieces of dry wood in sunny places and drill small holes if there are no existing cavities.
Avoid pesticides
Most insecticides and some fungicides and herbicides are harmful or lethal to bees. Be careful when purchasing seeds and bulbs. Many are grown with systemic pesticides called neonicotinoids, which will remain in the pollen of the plant and harms all bees.
Lori Panico wrote and illustrated this article for The Sanctuary Issue, the Summer 2017 issue of YES! Magazine. Lori is a multimedia intern at YES!
