Establish Areas of Pollinator Habitat

There are three common bee nesting strategies:  ground nesting bees, wood nesting bees, and bumble bees.

Here are some things you can do:

Ground nesting bees require direct access to soil in well- drained, sunny areas. Look for small, very circular holes in the ground surrounded by piles of displaced dirt.

• Leave sunny, well-drained, south-facing sloped ground undisturbed. Tilling the soil will destroy any ground nests.
• Clear most vegetation in these areas (leave some grasses to prevent erosion).

Wood nesting bees are found in pithy twig or vine centers, rotting wood, and existing cavities in wood. Only carpenter bees chew their own nest cells into soft wood substrates; others require existing holes.

• Leave dead wood in appropriate areas near recommended flowering plants. Increase plants with pithy stems (Elderberry, Box Elder, Raspberry, Dogwood, etc.) in areas near crops and native foraging resources. Cut back annually to allow bee access to pithy centers.

• Build a nest: Tie 10-20 hollow stems or paper straws with one end closed (6-8” long) together into a bundle and place in a protected area about 4’ off the ground. Bamboo and reeds are good materials. Put them out in early spring. Make sure foraging resources are nearby.

• Build a nest: Drill small holes of diameters ranging from 3/32” to 5/16” and 3” to 6” deep into natural or man-made wood structures (logs, boards, dead wood, stumps, etc.). Drill sloping very slightly upward to reduce water entry into holes.

Bumble bees are more generalist in their nesting habits and can be found under leaves, in old rodent dens and other preexisting cavities, above or below ground.

• Minimize mowing in grassy meadows or thickets. If mowing is necessary, reduce to once every 3-5 years and only in late fall.

• Avoid removing excessive amounts of weeds in these areas.

• Do not exterminate rodents or destroy their nests.

• Leave potential nesting sites protected (unmowed, untilled) during winter for dormant queens.