Bees visit flowers to collect nectar and pollen, which they use as food for themselves and their larvae. As they move from flower to flower, they pollinate garden and wild plants. Without pollination there would be no life, we would have nothing to eat. Therefore, we should try to compensate these donors of life for what we take from them in the wild.
One of the easiest ways to attract bees and bumblebees to your garden is to grow flowers rich in pollen and nectar – perennials are great, but don’t neglect flowering annuals, shrubs and trees. Every garden, big or small, can help pollinators.
Grow plants with nectar and pollen
It seems obvious, but it is important to plant a selection of plants that will ensure continuous flowering, especially from March to September. When choosing flowers, you should prefer those with simple flowers, because many cultivars, especially full-flowered ones, do not allow pollinators to collect pollen and nectar.
Diversity is also important, as each animal species prefers different flowers and plants.
Plants suitable for bees in every season
- Spring: viburnum, lungwort, crocus, dandelion, cherry, apple tree, hawthorn, primrose, willow, hazel
- Early summer: bellflower, comfrey, garlic, borage, catnip, sedge, poppy, sweet pea, thyme, foxglove, cornflower
- Late summer: David’s cone, cones and conifers, lavender, nasturtium, stonecrop, goldenrod, rattlesnake
- Autumn: dahlias with single flowers, autumn asters, Argentinian sedge, Japanese anemones
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Frauke Riether from Pixabay.com
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The first flowering shrubs, such as the willow, are a salvation for the bees, which soon wake up
Plant “hairy” plants
The common honey bee is one of the most widespread bees. They get their name from the fact that they collect hairs from the leaves and stems of plants to build nest chambers. Plants that you can grow to collect hair include, for example, woolly sedum or fennel.
Create bee hotels
Bee hotels are a great way to increase the diversity of bees in your garden by attracting solitary species. Solitary bees lay their eggs in cavities where they leave a small supply of food for the larvae. The larvae then hatch, pupate and fly out in the spring. Always place bee hotels in full sun.
Learn how to make a bee hotel:
Source: Youtube
Make bumblebee nests
Bumble bee queens look for places to hibernate in autumn and early winter. They often hibernate in old burrows of voles and cockroaches. At the end of winter and the beginning of spring, they climb out and look for a place to build a nest.
You can provide bumblebees with a cozy and safe home for the winter by creating an ideal nest. Line the bottom of the clay pot with moss and fill the rest with hay. Choose a warm sheltered spot, such as under a hedge. Scrape off enough soil to cover half the pot. Turn the pot upside down and pack the soil back around it.
Relax while tanning
It’s easy to forget that many plants we think of as weeds support wildlife. Lawn clovers and even dandelions will attract bees and provide them with pollen and nectar.
Create a wild corner
If your garden has a south-facing slope, consider leaving it to nature. It can offer great nesting sites for thermophilic solitary bees. Remove any clumps of grass to allow the bees to burrow into the well-drained soil, then leave the area untouched throughout the year, mowing at most twice a year.
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If your garden has a south-facing slope, consider leaving it to nature
Do not use pesticides
Chemicals harm pollinators. To keep pests at bay, try to arrange your plantings so that they protect and support each other. For example, marigolds repel aphids and aphids from tomatoes, garlic among roses deters aphids.
Give the bees a drink
During the hot summer, insects may lack water, especially if it does not rain for a long time. Don’t forget to create drinking fountains for them. It is enough to place shallow plates with water in a visible place, preferably near the flower beds. To prevent insects from drowning, put flat pebbles in the water to serve as a landing area. Don’t forget to refill the water every day and keep the drinking bowl clean.
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Uncle Ramirez from Pixabay.com
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Place shallow saucers of water in a visible place, preferably near the flower beds
Helping the tired bees
It is not uncommon for bees and bumblebees to stand still and look tired, especially in winter or early spring. To get them back on their feet, you can make a sugar solution by mixing equal parts warm water and sugar. Fill the cap of the bottle with sugar water and place it near the bee’s head so that it can dip its teat and drink. This will give her energy and warmth.
Source: gardenersworld.com, discoverwildlife.com
