Native bees are such an important part of our natural environment. While native bees are often happy to pollinate both native and introduced plant species, there are some native plants that can only be pollinated by native bees. They do this using ‘Buzz pollination’ as some native plants need vibration to release pollen, this is a special talent that introduced bees don’t have. If you would like to introduce native bees to your garden, try these three simple tips.
- Include a variety of plants that native bees love in your garden. Don’t forget to include plants that flower at different stages in the year, so the bees have flowers all year long. Here are some native bee favs!
- Abelia x Grandiflora (Glossy Abelia)
- Buddleja (Butterfly Bush)
- Callistemon (Bottlebrush)
- Lavendula (Lavendar)
- Leptospermum (Native Tea Tree)
- Melaleuca (Honey Myrtle)
- Westringia (Native Rosemary)
- Jasminum suavissimum (Native Jasmine)
- Melastoma affine (Native Lasiandra)
- Xanthostemon chrysanthus (Golden Penda)
- Plant your native bee plants in patches, grouping them together makes it easier for the bees to go from plant to plant. Be sure to care for your plants well ensuring they get plenty of hydration. Healthy plants will produce plenty of bee-loving pollen!
- If you want to provide a safe space for native bees, avoid the use of insecticides in your garden. It’s best to avoid chemicals altogether, but if you feel you really need to use them occasionally, try something with low toxicity to bees, if you do your research there are safer products out there. Avoid spraying the flowers on the plant and don’t spray when bees are active. For some eco-friendly ideas visit https://naturezedge.com/5-sustainable-and-natural-ways-to…