Wild Bees in the Organic Garden
As the Honey Bee Declines, the Gardener Can Act as Beekeeper
Aug 17, 2009
As far as the health of the honey bee goes, many people are aware of colony collapse disorder and the decline of the honey bee from the mass media. However, the mass media do not report on the less sexy plight of native bees. Native bees don’t produce enough honey to share, and they may even go unnoticed in the garden to the untrained eye, mistaken for flies. Before the import of the European Honey Bee, wild native bees carried out most of the pollination in crops and home gardens. This could have continued in perpetuity, without the aid of imported honey bees, but modern society has had a negative impact on native bees.
Wild Bees vs. Honey Bees
Gardeners, even those sensitive to environmental issues, may undervalue the 5000 native bee species in North America. Yet, domesticated honeybees aren’t the answer to all pollination needs, anymore than a mono-crop of corn isn’t the solution to world hunger. Honeybees, as now widely reported, are under siege from colony collapse disorder.
Even if this conundrum were solved tomorrow, honey bees aren’t as apt as their hardy native cousins to pollinate plants in cold, windy, or wet weather, preferring the comfort of the hive. This makes native bees especially important in areas like Canada and New England, which experience surly spring weather.
Furthermore, honeybees aren’t always as efficient at pollinating the plants they visit. Their short tongues means they can steal nectar from some plants without releasing their pollen, while they must pass up other plants altogether.
Of course, pesticides are a detriment to all bees. Even organic pesticides can damage bees when used indiscriminately.
Wild Bees in Decline
The decline of wild bees stems from several problems, all related to population growth. When farmers plant thousands of acres with one crop, such as corn or wheat, then bees have nothing on which to feed when that crop is finished flowering. Other pastures dedicated to grazing farm animals kill native bees by means of trampling, as many wild bees live underground. Meanwhile, rural bee refugees have nowhere to turn in suburbia: developers remove underground burrows, reeds, and fencerows that native bees once called home.
Becoming a Wild Bee Beekeeper
The organic gardener can create apiaries in the landscape for wild bees, without building structures or having contact with bees. Although the gardener won’t harvest honey from these efforts, he will notice an increase in productivity in the vegetable garden and orchard.
- Wild bees appreciate wild, weedy spots in the garden. Now there’s an excuse for that area of the yard that looks perpetually shabby.
- Native bees gravitate toward most green manure plants. Clover and legume cover crops are especially inviting to wild bees.
- Tilling kills earth-dwelling native bees. Practice the lasagna gardening method which calls for layering organic matter on top of the soil, or other no-till gardening methods.
- Gardeners can buy mason orchard bee houses for the organic fruit orchard, but these bees are also content to nest in dead trees rife with woodpecker or beetle holes.
Source:
Rodale R. (1999). The Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening. Rodale Books, Inc: Emmaus, PA.
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