Help Bees All Year

Protect bees' habitat, provide early food sources

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• Leave fallen leaves and plant stems. Bees nest and lay eggs there. Here's how to help (how to leave the right setup for stem-nesting bees).

• Plant or allow native early blooming plants (e.g. violets & clover), which provide nectar and pollen (a source of protein and fat that baby bees need).

• Dandelions are not the best quality food source for bees, and can reduce wildflowers' seed set over time. It's best to plant these early-blooming tree and plant alternatives.

• Have flowers ready for bees in early spring.

• Plant a variety of native flowers with different shapes and blooming times to provide a continuous source of nectar and pollen throughout the seasons

• Do not spray pesticides or herbicides. They kill bees!

Supply food sources, water, shelter

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• Plant/allow native fall-blooming plants (like goldenrod, sunflowers, asters) to help pollinators in fall

• Leave fallen leaves! Fallen leaves, dead stems, and branches provide crucial overwintering habitat and insulation for queen bumblebees and other native pollinators. Try not to rake them!

• Water station: Place pebbles or stones in a bird bath or shallow dish to give bees a safe platform to land on and drink from

• Create brush piles: piles of brush, logs, and rocks create protected shelters where bees can overwinter safely

• Maintain Bare Ground: A patch of bare, sunny ground allows ground-nesting bees to dig their tunnels for the winter. 

Supply food sources, water

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• Plant pro-pollinator plants

• Bees need water! Ideally, capture rainwater instead of using tap water. Leave a bowl of water with pebbles, marbles or bottle corks out for thirsty bees. (The small items give them a place to land so they don't drown).

• Never use pesticides in your garden/on your property - especially neonicotinoids. Avoid herbicides too. These kill bees!

• Mow your lawn less frequently (to minimize disturbing bees in the ground)

• Grow a wildflower garden with native species to your area that are best for bees. Choose flowers that have different bloom cycles to help bees through multiple seasons

Provide undisturbed winter shelters and food sources

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• Don't over-tidy: Leave dead leaves in your garden/lawn, as they create essential insulated hiding spots for many pollinator species, including butterflies and overwintering bee larvae.

• Leave dead stalks of perennial plants standing, as their hollow centers provide shelter for butterfly caterpillars and adult native bees.

• Avoid disturbing soil. Undisturbed soil is the natural home for many solitary and small-colony wild bees, so avoid digging or compacting it, especially in late fall and winter.