ROCKINGHAM — Several of your fellow Richmond County residents are currently participating in the Southeast Bumble Bee Survey, a citizen science project organized to better understand the status, distribution and habitat needs of bumble bees throughout the Southeast.
Bumble bees and numerous other important insect pollinators have been in decline in recent decades, from a combination of factors including habitat loss, climate change, and pesticide use, just to name a few. By documenting the numbers of bumble bees in a specific habitat through the survey, baseline information can help with the development of recommendations to prevent further declines and hopefully even improve bumble bee numbers.
There are around 50 native species of bumble bees in North America, as well as numerous other bees and native pollinators such as flies, beetles, and butterflies. All are critical in the pollination of both human flowering crops as well as native plant species which provide food for wildlife up the food chain. Honey bees, also important pollinators, are a non-native species, and are struggling for survival as well.
There are many challenges in the world right now that can seem overwhelming, and it can be hard for an individual to know how they can make a difference. Helping native pollinators is one easy thing that basically anyone can do, no matter how small – or even non-existent – their yard may be. There are numerous resources, books and online, that provide information and guidance on things people can do to help native pollinators. A recent book, Pollinator Gardening for the South: Creating Sustainable Habitats by Danesha Seth Carley, Associate Professor of Horticulture at North Carolina State University, has tips to make supporting pollinators easy to do at any scale, depending on your space, funds, and ability.
Dr. Carley’s first take-away? No spot is too small to help pollinators.
Pollinators need three things: First, food – that’s nectar and/or pollen. Most bees want both nectar and pollen. Other pollinators, such as hummingbirds and butterflies, are looking for nectar only. In terms of quality nectar and pollen: not all flowers are created equal. Beautiful annuals we may love, such as geranium, begonia, and impatiens, don’t supply much in the way of nectar and pollen. Luckily, beautiful, showy native perennials such as purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), Asters (there are numerous species), and goldenrod (Solidago species) are “plant once and done”, long blooming flowers that provide food through the summer or fall. There are many lists available with other beneficial native plants to both beautify your garden or patio while supporting pollinators.
While native plants (such as the ones listed above) are preferred, you can indulge in an herb garden and still feel you’re helping pollinators. Rosemary, thyme, and mints (always plant mint in a container, as it will quickly take over any garden spot) are all loved by many different bees and butterflies. In my garden now, the blooming lavender is covered with bumble bees, as well as honey bees and butterflies. As I look around the “natural” areas of my large yard there is little blooming, so I’m glad the lavender seems to be a refuge for the pollinators in my corner of the world.
The second thing pollinators require is water. While no one wants a mosquito-producing water feature in their yard, a shallow dish where you can provide fresh water daily, will not support mosquitos. Add a layer of small stones to allow landing spots for bees and butterflies to have a drink. If you’re able to have a larger water feature, putting in a small solar water fountain will keep the water moving, which prevents mosquitos from laying eggs.
A third essential element for pollinators is habitat, meaning nesting sites. Some bees nest in hollow stems, so planting native ornamental grasses such as Muhly grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris), which has glorious pink “flowers” in the fall, or Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) gives places for them to set up home as well as beautify your garden. The key here is to leave the stems through the winter until temperatures warm in the spring, to allow the bees to complete their life cycle. Other bees are ground nesters, digging solitary holes in the ground where they lay their eggs and where queens overwinter. These species need some bare ground, not heavily mulched, and definitely no plastic mulch or landscape fabric. With a gesture as simple as leaving a small dead log and fallen leaves in your garden in autumn, you’ve made a cozy home many native pollinators would love to over winter in.
Even if you have a relative low tolerance for a messy yard, just by incorporating a few suggestions above you can make your yard and garden a better place for pollinators. And that’s a good thing for all of us.
For more information on gardening for pollinators, contact NC Cooperative Extension, Richmond County Center. The new Garden Club, which meets on the second Thursday of the month, will have a program on July 13 on gardening with native plants. All are welcome. The meeting is at 5:30 pm at the Ag Services Center, 123 Caroline Street, Rockingham.