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Free pollinator friendly planting guides

1197 Views 0 Replies 1 Participant Last post by  ApisBees
Came across this pollinator plant guides for different areas of the country. although it starts out by talking about honey bees, they do not specify honey bees after this as shown below. In the charts that list the flowers they list the; Botanical Name, Common Name, Color, Height, Flower Season, Sun, Soil, and Visitation by Pollinator.
Check it our for your area enter your 5 digit zip code and it will take you to the guide for your area. For us that reside in the northern tundra division goggle the Zip for the nearest community across the boarder.
http://www.pollinator.org/guides.htm

Who are the pollinators?

Bees
Bees are well documented pollinators in the natural and agricultural systems of the Cascade Mixed Forest. A wide range of crops including apples, broccoli and cranberries are just a few plants that benefit from bee pollinators. Most of us are familiar with the colonies of honey bees that have been the workhorses of agricultural pollination for years in the United States. They were imported from Europe almost 400 years ago. There are nearly 4000 species of native ground and twig nesting bees in the U.S. Some form colonies while others live and work a solitary life. Native bees currently pollinate many crops and can be encouraged to do more to support agricultural endeavors if their needs for nesting habitat are met and if suitable sources of nectar, pollen, and water are provided. Bees have tongues of varying lengths that help determine which flowers they can obtain nectar and pollen from.
The bumble bee (Bombus spp.) forms small colonies, usually underground. They are generalists, feeding on a wide range of plant material from February to November and are important pollinators of tomatoes. The sweat bee (family Halictidae) nests underground. Various species are solitary while others form loose colonies.
Solitary bees include carpenter bees (Xylocopa spp.), which nest in wood; digger, or polyester bees (Colletes spp.), which nest underground; leafcutter bees (Megachile spp.), which prefer dead trees or branches for their nest sites; and mason bees (Osmia spp.), which utilize cavities that they find in stems and dead wood. Cactus bees (Diadasia spp.) are also solitary ground nesters.

Bumble Bees:
Abandoned mouse nests, other rodent burrows, upside down flower pots, under boards, and other human-made cavities. Colonies are founded by a queen in the spring and
don’t die out in the fall. New queens mate then and overwinter in a sort of hibernation. Bumble bees are usually active during the morning hours and forage at colder temperatures than honey bees, even flying in light rain.
Large carpenter bees:
Soft dead wood, poplar, cottonwood or willow trunks and limbs, structural timbers including redwood. Depending on the species, there may be one or two brood cycles per year. These bees can be active all day even in the hottest weather.
Digger bees:
Sandy soil, compacted soils, bank sides. Anthophorid bees (now in the Apidae) are usually active in the morning hours, but can be seen at other times.
Small carpenter bees:
Pithy stems including roses and blackberry canes. These bees are more active in the morning but can be found at other times.
Squash and Gourd bees:
Sandy soil, may nest in gardens (where pumpkins, squash and gourds are grown) or pathways. These bees are early risers and can be found in pumpkin patches before dawn. Males often sleep in the wilted flowers.
Leafcutter bees:
Pre-existing circular tunnels of various diameters in dead but sound wood created by emerging beetles, some nest in the ground. Leave dead limbs and trees to support not just pollinators but other wildlife. Leafcutter bees can be seen foraging throughout the day even in hot weather.
Mason bees:
Pre-existing tunnels, various diameters in dead wood made by emerging beetles, or human-made nesting substrates, drilled wood boards, paper soda straws inserted into cans attached to buildings. Mason bees are generally more active in the morning hours.
Sweat bees:
Bare ground, compacted soil, sunny areas not covered by vegetation. Like most bees, sweat bees forage for pollen earlier in the morning and then for nectar later.
Plasterer or cellophane bees:
Bare ground, banks or cliffs. Colletid bees can be active in the morning or later in the day.
Yellow-faced bees:
In dead stems. These bees are more active during morning hours.
Andrenid bees:
Sunny, bare ground, sand soil, under leaf litter or in soil in banksides and cliffs. These generally spring-active bees are most commonly seen on flowers during the morning when pollen and nectar resources are abundant.
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