Bee on Echinaceae. © Gordon Scaggs, 2001, all rights reserved.

It’s a lovely summer afternoon and you’re out in your yard enjoying the sunshine when you hear that familiar
low buzz.

Jumping to your feet you leap around, swatting the air, hoping you won’t get stung. But you needn’t worry, most bees, nearly 4,000 species in the United States, won’t bother you. As the world’s best pollinator, the bee is only out flower hopping in search of food.

Most native bees are “solitary” bees. As their name suggests, they live hidden, individual lives, simply making a living by searching out pollen and nectar as food for themselves and for their offspring. Unfortunately, these important pollinators that help your garden bloom and come to life, are threatened by loss of habitat, habitat fragmentation, and pesticides. If you haven’t eliminated the use of chemicals already, try going organic, which will also help many other beneficial insects including ladybird beetles, green lacewing, and praying mantis.

You can help bee populations by providing a number of things they are attracted to. Flowers lure pollinators by offering protein-rich pollen and nectar. Bees are especially attracted to blue, purple, violet, yellow, and white. Bees vary in body shape and tongue length, so flowers of various shapes will attract a greater diversity of bees. Sunflowers, blue or white flowered mints, milkweed, blue lupines, violets, and prickly pears are just a few flowers that bees gravitate to often. Planting native flowering plants that naturally grow and bloom in your area provide native bees with the food to which they are best adapted.

If space is a problem, you can also plant pollinator pots. Fill containers, window boxes, and other small spaces with native plants that bear nectar and pollen-producing flowers beneficial to native bees and other pollinators.

For a general list of bee-friendly plants, check out www.xerces.org.

Bees also need water. A birdbath or pond will do. Just remember to flush standing water every two to three days to prevent mosquito larvae from hatching. Or, to greatly reduce the threat of mosquito larvae, install a recirculating pond. Bees need nesting areas, usually patches of bare earth where they can burrow into the ground or dead trees with holes and tunnels left by wood-boring beetles. There are also native bees that will nest in structures you can build or buy. To learn about making bee houses, go to www.nwf.org/backyardwildlifehabitat/attractbees.cfm.

Learn more about making your landscape wildlife-friendly by creating a Backyard Wildlife Habitat and having it certified by the National Wildlife Federation [www.nwf.org/backyardwildlifehabitat.]

The nation’s largest member-supported conservation education and advocacy group, the National Wildlife Federation unites people from all walks of life to protect nature, wildlife and the world we all share.