- Tammy L.
- Tuesday, May 21
There are many kinds of pollinators. Some are native to the US, such as bumble bees, carpenter bees, butterflies, and even bats! Honey bees are native to Europe and were brought to this continent like many other agricultural animals. Some pollinators, such as monarch butterflies and rusty patched bumble bees, are classified as endangered or vulnerable. Habitat loss, lack of food, and chemicals are some of the major threats affecting pollinators. Honey bees are not endangered, but they are suffering many of the same issues as native pollinators.
Simple ways you can help save the bees and other pollinators:
The first one is not only easy, it is also delicious! Support local beekeepers by buying their honey, bee pollen, and other products of the hive. Local honey and pollen may also help with your seasonal allergies.
Don't use Roundup or other herbicides, pesticides, or other similar toxic chemicals in or around your home if it can be avoided. If you absolutely need to kill weeds or deter bugs, there are natural alternatives! Should you decide to use commercially available herbicides or pesticides, be sure to use them according to the package instructions. Never spray anything on flowers that are in bloom! Pollinators visiting those flowers can be affected, and may be able to return home and spread those chemicals to the rest of the colony.
Don't mow your lawn when it is filled with flowering “weeds” such as dandelions. These blossoms are food for pollinators. Wait until the flowering is over if possible, and then mow. Some people also mow around flowering areas.
Plant flowers, trees, and shrubs that pollinators enjoy. If you plant flowers, plant an abundance of the same thing, because some pollinators such as honey bees like to collect nectar from the same floral source repeatedly. Ground covers such as white clover are pollinator-friendly alternatives to grass and don’t require much in the way of maintenance once established.
Provide water for pollinators! Put up a bird bath with rocks or shells in it for bees to perch on while they drink. This can help prevent bees drinking from swimming pools or leaking outdoor faucets. If you have a pond, you may notice pollinators drinking near the water’s edge.
Create native bee habitats! There are commercially available native bee “hotels” or you can make your own. It is best to provide multiple sizes of reeds or tubes, because different pollinators have different needs. For example, carpenter bees will often move into an appropriately sized hole rather than drilling a new one into your porch or deck if there is one that is the correct diameter available. Mason bees also like to live in long cylindrical holes, but they are much smaller and don’t want the wider dwelling that carpenter bees require.
Many pollinators (and other beneficial insects such as ladybugs) overwinter underground or in brush, leaves, and hollow stems or canes. Leave a naturalized area of your yard for them! In the fall, instead of raking all the leaves and bagging them, leave some of them in one or more areas. Wait as long as possible to till land for your garden, as tilling can kill insects that pupate in the ground. These tactics are likely to increase the number of fireflies you see in your yard as well!
Here are some books for all ages about bees, butterflies, and other pollinators:
![100 Plants to Feed the Bees](https://www.syndetics.com/index.php?isbn=9781612127019/MC.jpg&oclc=945030291&upc=&client=richlandlib)
![Attracting Native Pollinators](https://www.syndetics.com/index.php?isbn=9781603427470/MC.jpg&oclc=776997073&upc=&client=richlandlib)
Attracting Native Pollinators
![The Butterfly Gardener's Guide](https://www.syndetics.com/index.php?isbn=1889538582/MC.jpg&oclc=52223505&upc=&client=richlandlib)
The Butterfly Gardener's Guide
![Are You a Bee?](https://www.syndetics.com/index.php?isbn=0753453452/MC.jpg&oclc=45044183&upc=&client=richlandlib)
Are You a Bee?
![Butterflies of North America](https://www.syndetics.com/index.php?isbn=0618254005/MC.jpg&oclc=50184884&upc=&client=richlandlib)
![The Life Cycles of Butterflies](https://www.syndetics.com/index.php?isbn=1580176178/MC.jpg&oclc=62322432&upc=&client=richlandlib)
The Life Cycles of Butterflies
![Pollinator Gardening for the South](https://www.syndetics.com/index.php?isbn=9781469659411/MC.jpg&oclc=1156421536&upc=&client=richlandlib)
Pollinator Gardening for the South
![Natural Beekeeping](https://www.syndetics.com/index.php?isbn=9781603583626/MC.jpg&oclc=&upc=&client=richlandlib)
Natural Beekeeping
![Our Native Bees](https://www.syndetics.com/index.php?isbn=9781604697698/MC.jpg&oclc=978384647&upc=&client=richlandlib)
![The Backyard Beekeeper](https://www.syndetics.com/index.php?isbn=9781592539192/MC.jpg&oclc=884708435&upc=&client=richlandlib)
The Backyard Beekeeper
![Brilliant Bees](https://www.syndetics.com/index.php?isbn=0761326707/MC.jpg&oclc=48851693&upc=&client=richlandlib)
Brilliant Bees
![Buzz](https://www.syndetics.com/index.php?isbn=0465052614/MC.jpg&oclc=&upc=&client=richlandlib)
![Pollinator Friendly Gardening](https://www.syndetics.com/index.php?isbn=9781627888479/MC.jpg&oclc=&upc=&client=richlandlib)
Pollinator Friendly Gardening
![Pollinator Friendly Gardening](https://www.syndetics.com/index.php?isbn=9780760349137/MC.jpg&oclc=910914766&upc=&client=richlandlib)
Pollinator Friendly Gardening
![Protecting Pollinators](https://www.syndetics.com/index.php?isbn=9781610919364/MC.jpg&oclc=1059258427&upc=&client=richlandlib)
Protecting Pollinators
![The Little Book of Bees](https://www.syndetics.com/index.php?isbn=1419738682/MC.jpg&oclc=&upc=&client=richlandlib)
![OMFG, Bees!](https://www.syndetics.com/index.php?isbn=9781797219905/MC.jpg&oclc=&upc=&client=richlandlib)
OMFG, Bees!
![A Field Guide to Eastern Butterflies](https://www.syndetics.com/index.php?isbn=0395904536/MC.jpg&oclc=38535976&upc=&client=richlandlib)
![How to Raise Monarch Butterflies](https://www.syndetics.com/index.php?isbn=1770850015/MC.jpg&oclc=10206461&upc=&client=richlandlib)
How to Raise Monarch Butterflies
![Exploring the World of Bees](https://www.syndetics.com/index.php?isbn=1554078822/MC.jpg&oclc=9708700&upc=&client=richlandlib)
Exploring the World of Bees
![Piping Hot Bees and Boisterous Buzz-runners](https://www.syndetics.com/index.php?isbn=9780691237695/MC.jpg&oclc=1379241815&upc=&client=richlandlib)
Piping Hot Bees and Boisterous Buzz-runners
![What if There Were No Bees?](https://www.syndetics.com/index.php?isbn=9781404860193/MC.jpg&oclc=526809564&upc=&client=richlandlib)
What if There Were No Bees?
![The Magnificent Book of Butterflies and Moths](https://www.syndetics.com/index.php?isbn=9798886740332/MC.jpg&oclc=&upc=&client=richlandlib)
The Magnificent Book of Butterflies and Moths
![Bee](https://www.syndetics.com/index.php?isbn=9781524715267/MC.jpg&oclc=951070621&upc=&client=richlandlib)
Bee
![Victory Gardens for Bees](https://www.syndetics.com/index.php?isbn=9781771620536/MC.jpg&oclc=&upc=&client=richlandlib)
![The Bee](https://www.syndetics.com/index.php?isbn=9780691161358/MC.jpg&oclc=877364500&upc=&client=richlandlib)
![Buzz About Bees](https://www.syndetics.com/index.php?isbn=1554552028/MC.jpg&oclc=&upc=&client=richlandlib)