DEAR JEANNE: I have done a lot of things in my garden to make it more conducive to pollinators and hummingbirds. I plan to make it an even better habitat for native bees by adding more native plants and one or more bee hotels. My goal is to be ready by early 2025.
Do our local native bees have a peak foraging season? What months should my flowers be most abundant? When should I set up my bee hotel? Should I set the entire hotel aside in another outdoor location for the baby bees to mature into adults?
I read about growing “woolly” plants (like Stachys byzantina, also called lamb’s ears) because some bees use the leaf fibers as nesting material. Should I include a plant like this?
Is there a good way to create and maintain a small patch of mud that mason bees could use to seal their chambers?
— Jim, The Cats
DEAR JIM: Native bees are a big topic. I’ll share some basics, but I recommend checking out the Urban Bee Lab at UC Berkeley and UC Davis (www.helpabee.org). They have tons of incredibly helpful information.
Bee foraging season depends on the bee. Some emerge in early spring, others a little later, and some are active from late summer to early fall. Bee experts recommend plants that bloom at different times, providing a food source for native bees no matter what time they emerge. Urban Bee Lab offers suggestions for plants to grow.
You also want to make sure your landscape has plants that provide both nectar and pollen. Adult bees feed on the nectar, and the pollen is processed into cakes that bee larvae feed on until they reach maturity.
Bees don’t need a lot of mud, so normal watering of your plants should provide plenty.
Bee hotels can be installed at any time except winter. Existing hives should be brought indoors during the winter, and some experts recommend replacing the tubes every year rather than trying to clean them. This helps prevent the introduction of disease.
Since some bees nest in the ground, you should clear some areas of your mulch. You can also leave flower pots empty.
Good luck in your new adventure. On behalf of the bees, thank you.
DEAR JEANNE: Do wasps (black and yellow) and their hive nests have any redeeming value? They are part of Mother Nature, but perhaps they came through Pandora’s box. I tend to leave them alone and let them be, but my friends and neighbors advise me otherwise.
— Martin Greer, Morgan Hill
DEAR MARTIN: Yellow jackets can be menacing and their stings are painful, but I agree with your attitude of leaving them alone. They are pollinators and help in pest control, feeding on insects that can be harmful to our gardens.
It’s not always easy to live with them peacefully, as they can be grumpy. Tear down nests in the winter and hang fake ones in the spring to discourage them from rebuilding. You can use paper lunch bags. Simply inflate them, close the top, and hang them. You can also find more realistic artificial hornet nests at your favorite big box store or online.
Animal Life is on Mondays. Contact Joan Morris at AskJoanMorris@gmail.com.
