Bees in the garden

There is currently a downward trend in pollinators worldwide. Bees especially are losing ground. Pesticide use is a major factor in their diminishing numbers. The spread of varroa mites is a certain cause, and the planting of GM crops is suspect. Loss of habitat is a contributor, along with monoculture and dwindling crop diversity, and the theory that our cell phone grid interferes with the bees’ navigation system is under discussion.

Due to decreased numbers of native bees, some beekeepers have taken to trucking their hives of honeybees around the countryside, selling their pollinating services to farmers. In the US, Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) now threatens this activity and the honey business generally. Millions of honeybees have disappeared. The female worker bees fly off in search of pollen with which to feed the young and never return. This is a problem for the agricultural industry, since only bees pollinate many important crops.

What can we do? For a start, we can support our local beekeepers by buying Quebec honey. Why import honey from China and Argentina?

Then, with a few adjustments, we can make our gardens a habitat for native bees. Leaf-cutter bees, the culprits that make those perfectly round holes in the rose leaves, are among them. About 95 per cent of native bees are solitary, and of those, 85 per cent are ground nesting. After mating, the ground nesting female tunnels into the soil. She creates three to 15 brood cells in each of which she places pollen, nectar,

and one egg before sealing it off. You may

have seen a ground-nesting bee hovering anxiously by you while you were weeding. Bees will not tunnel through cedar mulch, so leave some areas of soil uncovered. Don’t, of course, use any pesticides.

The other native bees are cavity nesting, and will put their pollen, nectar, and eggs into holes or tunnels they can just squeeze into before blocking them off against predators. As with ground-nesting bees, the young fend for themselves with the allotted provisions. With a block of wood and a drill you can fashion nesting sites. In my garden, bees tried to nest in the drainage holes under my wooden window box until the surprise deluge.

By observing your garden you will see which plants attract bees. In my July garden I noticed that the bees especially enjoy nepeta, perennial geraniums, cosmos sulphureus, and foxgloves ferruginea. Bees adore the flowers of most herbs. Other favorites include echinacea, goldenrod, sedum, corriopsis, asters, snapdragons, sweet alyssum, helianthus, gaillardia, clover and lavender. Plan for a succession of bloom.

Even non-allergic people are sometimes afraid of being stung. A bee has never stung me in my garden. To me, native bees seem both gentle and interesting. In the current state of our world, all living things are endangered. Let’s do our part to help the bees.