No matter one’s allergic relation or personal feelings about bees, they’re crucial to our ecosystem, and the bees native to Oregon are no different. So what can we do to help protect our little fuzzy winged friends?
The Oregon Bee Atlas added 224 unique species of bees to their list, increasing the total known number of native Oregon bees to 650. While researchers still don’t know every detail about how to best lodge and care for our native pollinators, there are some things you can do to help them out.
First things first, skip the pesticides where possible. It’s been known for years that they’re, by design, quite bad for bees and other insects – so avoid when possible as you enjoy your gardens over the summer.
Like any other living creature, bees need food and a place to live. So help them out by clearing out your garden where possible, stacking plant debris in piles, and avoiding wood or extremely heavy mulches. If possible, set up a space to provide bees with water – yes, they also need water. Something as simple as shallow puddles or mud is enough.
And if you have a green thumb, you can plant any of the following in hedgerows (or just solo):
- Snowdrops
- Hellebores
- Daisies
- Sunflowers
- Native balsamroot
- Tar weed
- Aster
- Parsley
- Chervil
- Fennel
- Dill
- Crocus
- Poppies
- Native clarkia
- Broccoli
- Kale
- Catmint
Oregon is filled to the brim with seasonal flowers and vegetation, so it’s also crucial to know what to avoid. You’ll want to stay away from “double” flowers, those that have extra petals such as roses, camellias, and carnations – these develop flowers within flowers and offer little to no pollen or nectar.
In short, developing a diverse set of seasonal and long-term shrubs, plants, herbs, and flowers will encourage bee diversity and keep our native pollinators happy and healthy.
By Ethan Hauck
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