Most of the bees seem attracted to the lavender right now but this one spent considerable time enjoying some solitude on this flower.
Having a wide variety of plants for bees to accesses during the season is important in helping all the Honeybee, Bumblebee species as well as other pollinators. Having a diverse garden has the added benefit of becoming a lively living ecosystem that can be fascinating to watch. One thing to consider when planting to encourage bees is thinking about staggering different plants that bloom at different times. For example, I often leave some dandelions out in early spring when some pollinators are first emerging. Often it is one of the only sources of food for these early garden guests and leaving them something to accesses can be beneficial. Dandelions have a very nice flower and once someones idea of them as just a weed is overcome, a nice early addition to the garden.
Some other plants that seem very popular in my garden on Vancouver Island are:
- Common lilacs (which are also early to bloom)
- lavender,
- Globe Thistle,
- California lilacs
- Daisies
to name just a few.
It has been interesting and encouraging to see views on bees change over the years. As a kid I would often remember people killing bees as pests out of fear of being stung. At that same time I remember observing bumblebees in the garden and being fascinated at how gentle they were. I hope peoples appreciation for other insects and arachnids also develops over time. So many of these tiny creatures benefit us as a species as well as being fascinating subjects to observe.
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