Bringing Back Bees: a Growing Movement

Bringing Back Bees: A Growing Movement

Easy as 1,2,3…

Step 1.

Recognize and Protect Habitat

Nest sites are a key component of bee habitat

Ground-Nesting Bees

Most native bees, about 70%, nest in the ground and need access to the soil surface to dig their nest. Each female excavates her own nest tunnel and brood cells, and stocks the cells with nectar and pollen. Where possible, keep bare or partially vegetated ground. Where you can, create more.

Bare ground. Simply clear the vegetation from small patches of level or sloping ground and gently compact the soil surface. These patches can be from a few insects to a few feet across ,but should be well drained, and in an open ground-will draw different bee species, so create nesting patches in different areas if you can to maximize the nesting opportunities.

Sandpits and piles. In a sunny, well-drained spot, dig a pit about 2’ deep, and fill it with a mixture of pale-colored, fine-grained sand and loam. Where soils do not drain well, a pile of the sand/loam mixture can help, or make a raised bed. If space is limited, you can fill planter boxes with the sand/loam mixture.

Wood-Nesting and Cavity-Nesting Bees

About 30% of our native bee species make their nests in old beetle tunnels in snags or similar locations. The female bee builds dividing walls across the tunnel to make a line of brood cells. Where you can, retain snags. Where you can’t, build or purchase nesting blocks.

Nesting blocks. Bee blocks can be made by drilling nesting holes between 3/32” ’ and 3/8” in diameter, at approximate ¾” centers, into the side of a block of preservative free lumber. The holes should be smooth inside, and closed at one end. The height of the nest is not critical-8” or more is good-but the depth of the holes is. Holes less than ¼” in diameter should be 3-4” deep. For holes ¼” or larger, a 5-6” depth is best.

Logs and snags. Get some logs or old stumps and place them in sunny areas. Those with beetle tunnels are ideal. Plant a few upright, like dead trees, to ensure some deadwood habitat stays dry. On the southeast side of each log, drill a range of holes, as outlined above.

Stem or tube bundles. Some plants, like teasel, bamboo, and reed, have naturally hollow stems. Cut the stems into 6” to 8” lengths. Be careful to cut the stems close to a stem node to create a tube with one end closed. Fifteen to twenty stem pieces tied into a bundle (with the close ends of the stems together) makes a fine nest. Or, make a wooden frame to make as many stems as you like. Paper tubes can be used as well. Just make sure they stay dry.

Location of the nesting sites is important. These nests should be placed where they are sheltered from the worst of the weather, with entrance holes facing towards east or southeast, so they get the morning sun. With stem bundles, be sure that the stems are horizontal. The nests can be any height from the ground, but between three and six feet is convenient. Put them on a building, fence or stake or place them in a tree. Fix them firmly so they don’t shake the wind.

Bumble Bees

Unlike the nests built for solitary bees there are no strict size requirements for bumble bee nests-any hole large enough for a small colony will be OK. After emerging from hibernation, bumble bees nest in abandoned mouse holes in the ground or under grass tussocks. Where you can, keep patches of bunch grass, or consider building a nest box or two.

Step 2.

Choosing the Right Flowers for Bees

Providing a range of plants that will offer a succession of flowers and thus pollen and nectar through the whole growing season is most beneficial to bees. Native bees forage February to November.

Use local native plants. Research suggests native plants are four times more attractive to native bees than invasive species. In gardens heirloom varieties of herbs and perennials can also provide good foraging. A plant list with bloom times is provided.

Choose several colors of flowers. Flower colors that particularly attract bees are blue, purple, white and yellow.

Plant flowers in clumps. Flowers planted in clumps are more likely to attract pollinators than individual plants scattered throughout the habitat patch.

Include flowers of different shapes. Bees come in all different sizes, have different tongue lengths and will feed on different shaped flowers. Providing a diversity of flower shapes means more bees will benefit.

Have a diversity of plants flowering all season. By having several plant species flowering at once, and a sequence of plants flowering through spring summer and fall you can support a range of bee species that fly at different times of the season.

Native Plants
Common Name / Scientific Name / Bloom Time
Vine Maple / Acer circinatum / Mid-April to late June
Douglas Maple / Acer glabrum / Mid-April to late June
Bigleaf Maple / Acer macrophyllum / April to May
Smooth Sumac / Rhus glabra L. / June to Early August
Big Sagebrush / Artemisia tridentata Nutt. / Late August through Sept.
Common Rabbit-brush / Ericameria nauseosus / August to September
Tall Oregon-grape / Mahonia aquifolium / Mid-April to late May
Dull Oregon-grape / Mahonia nervosa / Mid-April to late May
Red Alder / Alnus rubra / Early-April to mid-May
Sitka Alder / Alnus viridis / Early-April to mid-May
Paper/White/Canoe Birch / Betula papyrifera / Mid-April
Beaked Hazelnut / Corylus cornuta Marsh / January to February
Black Twinberry, Honeysuckle / Lonicera involucrata / Mid May to June
Blue Elderberry / Sambucus cerulea / Mid-June to late July
Red Elderberry / Sambucus racemosa L. ssp. / Mid-April to July
Common Snowberry, Waxberry / Symphoricarpos albus (L.) / June through September
High bush-cranberry / Virburnum edule (Michx.) Raf / Mid-April to mid-June
Red-osier Dogwood / Cornus stolonifera Michx. / April to August
Common/Ground Juniper / Juniperus communis L. / Mid-April to late May
Wolf-willow / Elaeagnus commutata / Early May to mid-June
Soopolallie, Soapberry, Canadian / Shepherdia Canadensis (L.) Nutt. / Late April to late May
Arbutus/Pacific Madrone / Arbutus menzieii Pursh / March through June
Kinnikinnick, Common Bearberry / Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (L.) Spreng. / April through June
Salal / Gaultheria shallon Pursh / March through July
False Azalea, Fools Huckleberry / Menziesia ferruginea Sm. / May to July
Velvet-leaved Blueberry / Vaccinium myrtilloides Michx. / April through July
Red Huckleberry / Vaccinium parvifolium Sm. / April through June
Garry Oak / Quercus garryana Dougl. / February to May
Waxy Currant / Ribes cereum Dougl. / April to June
Red-flowering Currant / Ribes sanguineum Pursh / April to May
Mock-orange / Philadelphus lewisii Pursh / Early May to mid-July
Redstem Ceanothus / Ceanothus sanguineus Pursh / April through June
Snowbrush / Ceanothus velutinus Dougl. / Late May through June
Saskatoon / Amelanchier alnifolia Nutt. / May to June
Black Hawthorn / Crataegus douglasii Lindl. / Late April to late May
Oceanspray, Creambush / Holodiscus discolor (Pursh) / Late June to Early July
Pacific Crab Apple / Malus fusca (Raf.) Schneid / Mid-April to late May
Pacific Ninebark / Physocarpus capitatus (Pursh) / May to June
Bitter Cherry / Prunus emarginata (Dougl.) / Late April to early June
Pin Cherry, Bird Cherry / Prunus pensylvanica L. f. / Late April to early June
Choke Cherry / Prunus virginiana L. / Late April to mid-May
Antelope-brush, Bitter brush / Purshia tridentata (Pursh) DC. / Mid-April to Early May
Prickly Rose / Rosa acicularis Lindl. / Late May to Late July
Bald hip Rose / Rosa gymnocarpa Nutt. / Late May to mid-July
Nootka Rose / Rosa nutkana Presl / Late May to mid-July
Prairie Rose, Wood’s Rose / Rosa woodsii Lindl. ssp. Ultramontan / Early June to late July
Thimbleberry / Rubus parviflorus Nutt. / Mid May to late June
Salmonberry / Rubus spectabilis Pursh / May to June
Western Mountain-ash / Sorbus scopulina Greene / Mid-April to late May
Hardhack, Pink Spirea, Steeplebush / Spiraea douglasii Hook. / Late May to early July
Black Cottonwood / Populus balsamifera L. / Early April to May
Non Native Plants
Common Name / Scientific Name / Bloom time/Phenology
Black-eyed Susan / Rudbeckia species / Mid/Orange
Blanket flower / Gaillardia grandiflora / Mid-late/Orange and red.
Blue Beard / Caryopteris incana / Late/Blue
Bluebells, scorpion weed / Phacelia species / Mid/Blue
Buckwheats / Eriogonum species / Mid/Cream yellows
Candytuft, globe or common / Iberis umbellata / Early-Late/White, pink
Cat mint, catnip / Nepeta x faassenii / Mid-late/Blue-purple
Chrysanthemum / Chrysanthemum species / Late/Multi-Colors
Coneflower, purple / Echinacea purpurea / Mid-late/Pink to purple
Daisy, Seaside / Erigeron glaucus / Early-Mid/Blue
Dusty Miller / Centaurea cineraria / Mid-late, yellow
Feverfew / Chrysanthemum parthenium / Mid-late/White
Geraniums, scented / Pelargonium graveolens / Mid/Whites to pink, reds
Globe thistle / Echinops species / Late/Blue
Goldenrod / Solidago speciesw / Late/Yellow
Horehound / Marrubium vulgare / Mid/White
Hyssop / Hyssopus species / Mid-Late/White to purple
Lavender / Lavendula species / Mid/Blues-purples
Monch / Aster frikartii / Mid-late/Purples
Mint / Mentha species / Mid-late/White to purple
Onions / Allium species / Early-mid/White to purple
Oregano / Origanum vulgare / Mid-Purple
Penstemons / Penstemons species / Mid-late
Phacelia, tansy / Phacelia tennaecitifolia / Early-mid/Yellow
Pincushion flower / Scabiosa columbaria / Mid-late/Pink to blue
Purple coneflower / Echinacea Purpurea / Mid-late/Pink-purple
Purple toadflax / Linaria purpurea / Mid/Purple
Rosemary / Rosmarinus specis / Mid/White, pink, purples
Rue / Ruta graveolens / Mid/Yellow
Sage / Salvia species / Mid-late/White to purple
Sea Holly / Eryngium species / Mid/Blue
Sedum, stonecrop / Sedum species / Early/White to yellows
Squash gourd, pumpkin / Cucurbita / Mid/Orange
Spearmint / Mentha spicata / Mid/White
Statice / Limonium perezii. L. latifolium / Mid-late/Purple
Strawberries / Fragaria species / Early/White
Sunflower / Helianthus species / Mid-late/Yellows to reds
Thyme / Thymus species / Mid/White, pink, purples
Tickseed / Coreopsis grandiflora / Mid-late/Yellow-orange
Trefoil, birdsfoot / Lotus corniculatus / Mid/late/Yellow
Western Yarrow / Achellea millifolia / Mid-late/White

Step 3

Leave Toxic Pesticides Behind

Organic-Approved Pesticides-Minimizing Risks to Pollinators

Pesticide Non-Toxic Low Toxicity Highly Toxic

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) / X
Beauveria bassiana / X
Cydia pomonella granulosis` / X
Diatomaceour Earth / X
Garlic / X
Insecticidal Soap / X
Kaolin Clay / X
Neem / X
Horticultural Oil / X
Pyrethrins / X
Rotenone / X
Sabadilla / X
Spinosad / X

Herbicides/Plant Growth Regulators/Adjuvants

Adjuvants / X
Corn Gluten / X
Gibberellic Acid / X
Horticultural Vinegar / X

Fungicides

Copper / X
Copper Sulfate / X
Lime Sulfur / X
Sulfur / X