The Benefits of Native Bees

 

 

               Honey bees that pollinate our food crops have been the focus of much media attention in the past two years.  Colony Collapse Disorder and the decline of our honey bee population are serious concerns because nearly a third of the food we eat is pollinated by bees.  But we mustn’t overlook the native bees, the ones who work behind the scenes performing important tasks that affect our lives in other ways. 

                There are about 4,000 species of native bees in North America.  (Honey bees, which are not native, were introduced to our country by early colonists.) Although most of them go unnoticed, native bees are important to our natural ecosystems.  They pollinate many trees that make up our forests, trees that stabilize the soil, prevent erosion and provide shelter to birds and wildlife.  These same lesser-known bees also pollinate the wildflowers and plants that sustain our wildlife.  Native bees are even proficient at pollinating a few of our food crops as well, crops such as pumpkins, watermelons, squash and berries. 

                Bumble bees, among the most easily recognizable natives, are known for their “buzz pollination.” By holding onto a flower and buzzing, the vibration shakes loose pollen from the anthers of plants that don’t readily release pollen grains.   Because of this method, bumble bees are used commercially to pollinate greenhouse tomatoes.  While many native bees are solitary, bumble bees are not.  In late fall, the bumble bee colony dies out with the exception of one fertile female.  That female will overwinter underground and emerge in the spring to lay eggs that will start a new bumble bee colony.

    

             Mason bees, also called orchard bees, are small native bees that are solitary rather than social.  Unlike honey bees or bumble bees, all female mason bees are fertile and can lay eggs.  Mason bees cannot excavate wood so they are not a threat to homeowners.  They look for tube-like holes made by other insects or woodpeckers, or use hollow twigs for nesting.  The female gathers pollen and nectar to create a food supply to fill a cell before she inserts an egg and then seals the cell shut with mud.  Next she makes another cell next to the previous one until the tube is filled.  Eggs in the back of the tube become female mason bees, while eggs near the front become males.   

 

                Native bees come in a wide variety of colors, sizes and shapes. There are digger bees, squash bees, carpenter bees, blueberry bees, and many more. There are long-tongued bees and short-tongued bees.  There are cuckoo bees that lay their eggs in another bee’s nest, sometimes killing the host larvae in the process.  Nearly all native bees feed on flower nectar.

Protecting Native Bees

                As responsible landowners and gardeners, we can protect and support these beneficial native bees.  Native bees require a sunny habitat and prefer open meadows but are also found in field margins, woodland edges, roadsides and home gardens. They benefit from perennials, which are richer nectar sources than annuals.  If you plan to create a habitat for native bees, you must avoid pesticides and herbicides.  In selecting plants, it is important to provide blooms from early spring to late fall.  Also, native bees benefit from a diversity of flower shapes and sizes that will accommodate both long-tongued and short-tongued species.  The larger the suitable habitat space you provide, the more diversity of bee species you will attract. 

                The benefit to homeowners goes well beyond increasing bees in your yard.  By enhancing your landscape to attract native bees, you will also be making a significant contribution toward biodiversity.  According to author and entomologist Doug Tallamy, planting natives in your landscape to increase biodiversity also increases the number and species of birds and other wildlife you will enjoy seeing on your property.

Native Plants to Support Native Bees 

Anise Hyssop -  (Agastache spp.) June – July

Joe-Pye Weed - (Empatorium dubium) August – September

Black-eyed Susan –(Rudbeckia hirta) June-July

Spotted Horsemint – (Monarda punctata) July -- August

Wild Bergamot – (Monarda fistulosa) August – September

Golden Alexander – (Zizia aurea) April – June     

New York Ironweed – (Veronica noveboracesis)

Milkweed – (Asclepias spp.) June – August

Giant Sunflower – (Helianthus giganteus) August – September

Great Blue Lobelia – (Lobelia siphilitica) August – September

Blazing Star – (Liatris spicata) August – September

Black Gum Tree – (Nyssa sylvantica) May – June

Black Willow Tree – (Salix nigra) July – August

Black Cherry Tree – (Prunus serotina) May – June

Dogwood Tree – (Cornus florida) March – April