Gardening smartly for bees and other pollinators Dr. Ashley Bennett Michigan State University

Dr. Ashley Bennett Michigan State University Gardening smartly for bees and other pollinators

Why is bee conservation important?  Bees pollinate 80% of flowering plants o Native plants o Food crops Collected Pollen Pennsylvania Dept. of Agriculture

U. S. grows 100 crops dependent on pollination  Value in 2000 was $20 billion

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Why is bee conservation important?  Supports native plant communities  Food for wildlife

Why is bee conservation important?  Aesthetic beauty  Recreational value  Interest to our gardens! Photo by: Richard Orr Peponapis sp. : pollinates cucurbitsOsimia lingnaria: pollinates fruit crops Photo: British Columbia, Ministry of Agriculture

Over 20,000 species of bees in the world, 4,000 in N. A., and nearly 400 species recorded in Michigan.

Most important bee worldwide. First brought by European settlers in 1600s for honey and wax production. Feral colonies once abundant. Provides crop pollination worth $14.6 billion in US annually. Honey bees

Native Bees - Apidae Pennsylvania Dept. of Agriculture Long-horn bee Photo by: Richard Orr Squash Bee Bumble Bee Carpenter Bee

Common bumble bee species differentiated by the amount of yellow abdominal hair Bombus impatiens first segment yellow Bombus fervidus all but the last segment yellow Bombus bimaculatus 1 st segment all yellow, 2 nd segment partial yellow Bombus vagans 1 st & 2 nd segments all yellow Bombus griseocollis 1 st segment all yellow, 2 nd segment partial yellow Bombus citrinus abdomen all black

Native Bees - Megachilidae Leaf cutter bee Photo by: John Ascher Anthidium USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center Leaf cutter bee USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center

Native Bees - Halictidae Green Bee Lynette Schimming Green Bee Sheryl Pollock Sweat Bee

Native Bees – Colletidae & Andrenidae Photo by: Micheal Veit USDA Bee Biology Lab, Logan Utah Photo by: Lynette Schimming Photo by: John Ascher

Other Pollinators 1.Flies – Syrphids 2.Beetles – Soldier Beetle 3.Wasps – Specids, Vespids 4.Butterflies 5.Birds

How can you attract bees? Flowers 1.Diversity of flowers  Color: purples, pinks, yellows  Shapes: open and tubular  Different nectar and pollen 2.Season long flowering  Spring, summer, fall  Food throughout seasons Spring Summer Fall

Native Pollinators Types of bees 1. Short tongue  Sweat bee  Open flowers 2. Long tongue  Bumble bee  Tubular flowers Open Flower Tubular Flower

Why use native plants? 1. Adapted to soils & climate 2. Evolved with native bees 3. Once established, require little water or fertilizer 4. Few pest & disease problems: limit chemical use Prairie Smoke Indian Paintbrush White fringed prairie orchid Queen of the Prairie Native plants

Native plants - Spring Trout lily Spiderwort Prairie phlox Cream Baptisia Golden Alexander Foxglove Wild Strawberry

Native plants - Summer Purple prairie clover Nodding Onion Pale Coneflower Slender Mt. mint Butterfly weed Monarda

Native plants - Summer Compass Plant Gray headed coneflower Whorled Milkweed

Native plants – Fall Rough blazing star Stiff Goldenrod Aromatic aster Closed Gentain Indian grass

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Resources 1.Bee Basics: An introduction to our native bees  A USDA Forest Service and Pollinator Partnership Publication, Pollinator conservation handbook  The Xerces Society, Nests for native bees, online  Native plants for the home landscape  K. Nowakowski, 2004, University of Illinois extension 5.Native plants of Michigan, online  Pollinator Partnership, online  MSU demonstration gardens