World Bee Day: 5 Ways You Might Be Harming Garden Bees and What To Do Instead

Bees play an important role in our ecosystems, but I probably don’t have to tell you that. Most gardeners know just how valuable and integral these tiny pollinators are, both in our gardens and in the world around us. 

Bees are responsible for pollinating most of the fruit and seed crops that we eat, yet many agricultural and gardening practices can harm them. They are a vital link to our food security, and frankly, they make the world a more beautiful place. Pollinators are responsible for 90% of the flowers we enjoy. 

In 2017, the United Nations declared that May 20th would serve as a day to focus on protecting and preserving bee and other pollinator populations. World Bee Day coincides with the baptism of Anton Jansa, a pioneer in the world of beekeeping. 

The theme for this year, ‘Bee inspired by nature to nourish us all,’ draws attention to the vital role bees and other pollinators play in global food production and agriculture. With many species of bees under threat of extinction, it’s important for us all to do what we can to preserve these important creatures. 

While we can’t, as individuals, stop the use of systemic pesticides and habitat destruction, most gardeners are at least conscious of how their actions influence pollinators. Even so, some of the ways we harm bees go overlooked. Here are some of the ways you may be causing harm to the bees in your garden, and how you can correct them to make it a more hospitable place. 

Using Pesticides

The main causes of bee population decline include habitat loss, pesticide use, climate change, invasive species, and diseases. The one that is easiest for us to counteract in our own space is pesticide use. The agricultural industry is unlikely to make significant changes to its pesticide use, but we can. 

Avoiding all pesticide use in the garden can be a challenge, especially if you’re a vegetable gardener. When you’re growing plants for food, it becomes a main priority to keep pests at bay. However, in the quest for perfect garden tomatoes, many of us end up harming the native bees that are there to help us in the first place. 

What to Do Instead

There are different ways to handle pests that don’t involve using pesticides or other harmful chemicals. To begin with, the most effective nuisance pest control is the natural kind. Many beneficial, predatory insects would love to take care of that aphid problem for you. Ladybugs, lacewings, wasps, mantids, and their larvae are all voracious predators. 

Enticing these beneficial insects to your space rests largely on providing them with food and avoiding chemicals. Most of these insects are nectar consumers, so planting nectar sources will draw them in. The sheer presence of pests will keep them around. They will lay their eggs where they know their young will find food. 

Physical control is an effective way to manage some larger pests in the garden. When it comes to snails and slugs, or tomato hornworms, all you really need to do is pick them off and dispose of them. You can also look for foliage that has smaller pests on it and remove it by hand. 

You can use Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis), a biological control, to eliminate many pests. These bacteria are toxic to some insects, but not to bees. Avoid the Aizawai strain, which can be poisonous to bees. 

Finally, if all else fails, neem oil is a good treatment for most of the garden’s problems. It’s good for treating fungal issues and eradicating most pests. However, if you spray it on bees, it will harm them, too. Make sure to use diluted neem oil only late in the day when bees are no longer present. Once dry, it is not harmful. Even better, if you can, avoid treating actively flowering plants.

Buying Treated Plants

You may already avoid using pesticides in the garden, which is great! However, there is a hidden way that these toxic substances make their way into our spaces. Some of the plants that we purchase from nurseries and larger stores are already full of them.

Neonicotinoids are a big issue for pollinator populations. These synthetic insecticides are toxic to bees, and the growers will often treat plants before sending them to the store. Here, you purchase these plants thinking that they are perfect pollinator food, when in reality, they’re infused with pollinator poison. Neonics show up in nectar and pollen, which is what bees eat. 

While some countries ban these toxins, they are still widely used in agriculture and ornamental landscaping in the U.S. They’re also bad for us, so we ought to work toward finding a better solution and eliminating them altogether. 

What to Do Instead

The good news is that many retailers are phasing out the use of neonics in their live goods. Some entire states have restricted the use of these chemicals. If you live in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, or Washington, restrictions make locating untreated plants easier. 

The EPA also requires that labels be applied to these products with information about pollinator protection. Labeling of treated plants is voluntary, but most retailers do label them. Do your best to purchase only untreated plants. 

If you have difficulty finding a particular plant that you love in its untreated form, consider growing it from seeds. If you grow from seeds, you can be comfortable knowing that your plants are bee-safe. 

Planting Hybrids and Non-Native Flowers

I won’t tell you that there are only native flowering plants in my garden, as that would be a lie. However, the majority of what I plant and allow to grow are native plants that contain an ample supply of pollen and nectar for our native bees. 

We know that non-native plants generally have issues. Some are invasive, outcompeting native plants for real estate and resources. They also tend to require more maintenance and resources in the first place. 

Then there is the matter of hybrids. Some hybrids, like African blue basil, are a favorite of bees. This is a good one to plant as it’s not aggressive, exceptionally easy to care for, and a great nectar source. 

However, this is not usually the case for hybrids. Many of these lack pollen altogether or have fancy flower shapes that make it difficult to access their nectar. These flowers are a waste when it comes to feeding bees. 

What to Do Instead

I’m not going to tell you that you shouldn’t plant those stunning hybrid petunias, just make sure you also plant plenty of native nectar plants to balance it out. Bees will feed on some non-native flowers. I find that they love the cosmos that I grow in my cutting garden. 

Native bees generally prefer native flowering plants. Plant things like rudbeckia, coneflowers, asters, and others. A nursery nearby that specializes in native plants is a wonderful resource. Remember that, in addition to being more water-wise, native plants rarely need fertilizer, so they save money and resources in both of these ways. 

Not Providing Water

You can plant all the beautiful native flowering plants you can get your hands on, but if there isn’t any water for them to drink, the bees will go elsewhere to find it. Water is essential for all living things, bees included. 

Collecting nectar all day is hard work. Bees and other pollinators need water to stay hydrated while they flit about. Clean water sources are scarce in some places or at certain times of the year. If you’re experiencing a drought, so are they, and they don’t have a kitchen faucet to tap into. 

What to Do Instead

Create a bee watering station in your garden, and they will spend more time there. Bees are opportunistic. They expend so much energy just going from place to place that they prefer to collect food in spaces where they can get their fill. If you have an abundance of food and a place for them to hydrate, they are far more likely to return. 

There are many ways to construct a bee watering station. I have several bird baths in my garden, in various locations. I keep these filled with water and use stones and other objects to offer bees a resting place. You can use a pot turned upside down with a shallow dish, or a bowl full of water and marbles. 

Bees locate water by scent rather than sight, so in this case, cleaner isn’t always better. If you leave some organic material in the water, it will be easier for them to find. Let a handful of leaves sit in that birdbath, as they decay, the bees will smell them and find the water!

Over-Cultivating Your Yard

The most well-maintained garden in the neighborhood is rarely going to be the one that’s most appealing to bees and other pollinators. If you look around and see a lot of the same type of plants in your yard and not many native nectar sources, you may have overcultivated your yard. 

Spaces that are overcultivated typically lack biodiversity and often depend on chemicals to keep things looking green and healthy. When you fill your yard with a lot of one or two plants, you create a monoculture, and bees don’t like that. 

What to Do Instead

First, make sure you plant a wide and diverse variety of plants. The more native species, the better. Plant things that flower at all times of year, whenever your climate allows. By planting things that bloom at different times, you’re making sure that there is always food available.