Make Your Property Pollinator Friendly

Many gardeners are now including nectar and pollen-rich native plants in their gardens to provide much-needed food for pollinators. And this is a vital first step to help our pollinator friends. Food is important, but pollinators also need shelter and nesting habitat to survive. And our traditional landscapes rarely have enough resources to shelter and support our pollinators. So, this year, make your property more pollinator friendly by creating good shelter and nesting sites. What do you need to do? Here are some suggestions taken from observation of natural landscapes. It's easier than you think!

Make Use of a Free Resource—Leaves!

Use leaves instead of wood mulch in beds around trees and shrubs  

• A layer of leaves 1-2" thick insulates and protects the larvae of many insects, including fireflies, goldenrod beetles, and moth and butterfly chrysalises. You can also plant native perennials under trees to create a "soft landing" for pollinators and beneficial insects.
• Overwintering bumble bee queens seek out leaf litter.
• Leave the leaves and plantings undisturbed as much as possible.

If you don't have enough leaves, consider asking your neighbors, or patrolling your neighborhood when leaves are raked to the curb for pickup in the fall. You can store them in open bins or even plastic bags for later use.

Create Places for Pollinators to Nest

Our wild bees nest in the ground, in stems, and in dead wood. There are many ways to provide nesting sites.

A dry-laid rock wall provides nesting sites for pollinators. Photo: Connie Schmotzer, Penn State

Build a rock wall—the crevices in dry-laid rock walls are perfect places for bumble bees and others to nest. No room for a wall? Even a small pile of rocks will provide a nesting place.

Deadwood is important for wood-nesting bees. Photo: Connie Schmotzer, Penn State

Leave some dead wood in your landscape for wood-nesting bees. Dead logs can be placed in beds or used as edging for a naturalistic look. If you have a dead tree that doesn't create a hazard, let it stand or top it to a height where it won't become a problem.

A cellophane bee emerges from her nest in a bare spot on the lawn. Photo: Connie Schmotzer, Penn State

Leave some bare, undisturbed soil for the ground-nesting bees. Did you know that 70 percent of our bees nest in the ground? They can't nest in thick turf and are destroyed if the soil is rototilled or pesticides are applied.

Leave garden cleanup till spring. Many bees nest in hollow or pithy stems and will overwinter there. Instead of cutting down beds in the fall, give yourself a much-needed rest and wait for the bees to emerge in spring. Cut the stems back to 8 to 24 inches in early to mid-April. You can even pile up the stems you remove and grind them later in May.

More Ideas to Provide Shelter  

• Plant densely so that pollinators have protection from winds on chilly days.
• Include clumping native grasses in your plantings. Bumble bees like to nest at the base.
• Place rocks in sunny areas where pollinators can rest and warm up.
• If you have the space, create a small brush pile.

Be less aggressive with your outdoor housekeeping, and pollinators will thrive in your yard for years to come. The Xerces Society has created a wonderful publication for gardeners dedicated to helping pollinators, Nesting and Overwintering Habitat for Pollinators and Other Beneficial Insects.