Encouraging Bees To Visit Your Yard and Garden

的 undisturbed prairies of North Dakota were once a haven for bees, but the landscape of our state is changing. 的 oil boom, increased pesticide use and an onslaught of mites are threatening bees. We can no longer take these insects for granted. 

Bees are vital for a productive garden. We need them for cucumbers, melons and squash. We need them for berries, apples, cherries and other popular fruits.

We can take steps to make our landscapes bee friendly. Bees are just like every other creature on earth. 的y need food, water and a safe shelter.

蜜蜂需要食物

种很多不同的花. Bees will forage on flowers from the first crocus in spring until the last aster in fall (照片). Native plants are especially well suited for attracting native bees and other pollinators.

Preferred perennials include beebalm, blazing star, blanketflower, goldenrod and aster. Useful annuals include sunflower, salvia and snapdragon. Herbs such as borage, basil and chives are welcome.

蜜蜂需要水

Bees will drink from rims of bird baths. A piece of wood in the bath can serve as a landing platform for bees. You can make a bee bath by placing a shallow plate on the ground, lining it with rocks.

蜜蜂需要一个安全的庇护所

Bees generally do not need help in constructing nests, but bee houses are easy to construct. Many bees nest in soil so allow some bare patches in the garden. 

避免杀虫剂

Dust and wettable powder formulations are especially dangerous because they collect in the hair of bees. Insecticides that are relatively safe for bees include 苏云金杆菌、楝树和园艺油. Chemicals should be applied in the evening when bees are not active. Avoid products with long residual activity such as soil drenches of imidacloprid.

的 Xerces社会 is a good source of information on attracting pollinators. 欲了解更多信息，请阅读 Bee-utiful Landscapes: Building a Pollinator Garden. 

Written by Tom Kalb, 扩展 Horticulturist, North Dakota State University. Information was taken from an article published in the NDSU院子里 & 花园的报告， 2015年7月31日. 的 照片 was made available under a Creative Commons license specified by the 照片grapher: 迈克尔·弗兰克·弗兰兹.