June 20-26 is National Pollinator Week! Pollinators are animals that help plants reproduce by carrying pollen from one flower to another. These hard-working critters play an important role both in nature and in farming, and are the reason we’re able to enjoy many of our favorite fruits!
Unfortunately, many pollinator species are under threat from pollution, habitat destruction, and climate change. This week, we invite you to think outside the hive and take steps to protect these important animals. Here are 4 of our favorite ways to support pollinators:
#1: Grow native plants
There’s a good reason this is our top tip: Planting native plants is the best way to promote healthy communities of pollinators! Native plants provide food and shelter for all sorts of beneficial wildlife, including pollinators. As a bonus, they often require less water, fertilizer, and maintenance than non-native plants. Some of our favorite NC natives are:
Milkweeds, including butterfly weed
Purple coneflower (aka Echinacea)
Goldenrod
Elderberry
Redbud tree
Black-eyed Susan
For best results, learn which plants are best suited to your area, grow a variety of plants that bloom at different times during the year, and plant flowering plants close together in clumps. Supporting pollinators also means providing food for caterpillars, so remember to plant some leafy host plants, too!
To find native plants, skip the big-box stores and visit a local garden center or nursery. You can even look into hiring a gardener or consultant who specializes in landscaping with native plants.
Don’t have space for your own garden? Consider joining a community garden, or volunteering with a local park or botanical garden!
#2: Avoid using pesticides
Most people don’t spray insecticides on their garden with the intention of hurting butterflies and bees, but sadly, these chemicals can have unintended consequences for beneficial insects – as well as for other wildlife and humans.
If at all possible, avoid using pesticides and practice prevention strategies instead. Choose naturally insect- or disease-resistant native species for your garden, and learn to identify which “pests” are actually helpful or harmless insects. (Remember: all butterflies are caterpillars first!) If you do see signs of an infestation, remove the affected part of the plant and dispose of it by burying it away from your garden.
If you do have to use insecticide, use it only as directed. Limit your use to when you have a serious pest problem. Don’t apply pesticides to or near plants that are actively blooming, and try to avoid spraying during the warmest part of the day when bees and other pollinators are most active. Early morning or dusk are safest!
You can also explore “green” alternatives to conventional pesticides. Keep in mind, though, that even “bee-friendly” insecticides can cause harm to our buzzy friends.
#3: Learn about native pollinator species
There’s more to pollinators than honey bees! Did you know bees and butterflies aren’t the only animals that pollinate flowers? Here in NC, flies, wasps, beetles, moths, and hummingbirds also play an important role in pollinating both wild plants and crops. The North Carolina Wildlife Federation’s Butterfly Highway project has great information on attracting and identifying NC pollinators.
National Pollinator Week is a great opportunity to learn more about the pollinators in your area. Look for events happening near you! If you live in Durham, consider attending Keep Durham Beautiful’s first annual Bee Day at the Durham Farmers Market this Saturday, June 25th from 9 AM to 12 PM.
Or go the old-fashioned route and check out a guidebook to insects and other animals in your area! Not sure where to start? Browse PWC’s list of recommended field guides on Bookshop.org.
#4: Create pollinator habitat
Whether you have a sprawling farmstead or a tiny patio garden, you can make a home for pollinators! Logs, dead trees, and stick piles make great nesting sites for bees, butterflies, and moths. A shallow tray or birdbath filled with water and pebbles offers busy bees a refreshing water source. Don’t worry about keeping your garden perfectly manicured. Pollinators like a little mess!
Hate raking leaves in the fall? Good news: Letting dead leaves remain in your yard also provides food and shelter for pollinators during the colder months!
Many garden stores sell “bee hotels,” nesting boxes with hollow tubes where mason bees, leafcutter bees, and other cavity-dwelling bees can make their homes. “Bee” careful with these, as many are poorly designed and can unintentionally encourage the spread of disease and parasites. Look for a model with removable tubes (preferably not bamboo) that are not glued in place, are open on only one end, and don’t have any splinters or cracks. (Better yet, make your own!) Remember to clean or replace the tubes each spring to keep your hard-working guests healthy.
Special thanks to our Spring 2022 APPLES Intern, Torin O’Brien, for beautifying our on-site gardens this spring! Learn more about National Pollinator Week at pollinator.org.
