Bees play a vital role in the lifecycle of plants. Seemingly carefree as they roam lazily from flower to flower, bees are some of the best pollinators you can hope to have frequenting your garden. Nearly three quarters of the food we commonly eat and grow in our gardens, like vegetables, herbs, fruit and even nuts require pollination to reproduce. With bees visiting your plants, you’ll see an increase in the yield of your fruits and vegetables.

There are many species of bees that may visit your garden! The most familiar are probably the honey bee (Apis mellifera) and eastern bumblebee (Bombus impatiens). The honey bee is an imported species native to Europe that has naturalized across Canada and is the only species responsible for the production of honey. Bumblebees are large and fuzzy in appearance and are prolific pollinators native to southern and eastern Canada. There are other species of bumblebee that you may spot in your garden, including the Tricoloured, Rusty Patched, and Half-Black bumblebees.

Less common but just as ecologically important species include Leafcutter bees (Megachile inermis), Mason bees (Osmia), and Sweat bees (Halictidae). Some of these species are solitary bees that build cells in hollow wood or plant stems. Leafcutter bees may be seen carrying chunks of plant leaves carefully cut from garden plants that will become the basis of their nests. For solitary cell-building bee species, you can purchase bee houses or simply leave dry plant stems or trees or other wooden structures with open cavities. 

Building a hospitable home for bees in your garden is fairly simple, and will ensure that your plants share the love and distribute or receive pollen to increase their yields. 

Plant the right flowers. Different species of bees have physical adaptations that help them pollinate different types of flowers. In general, all bees are attracted to flowers with abundant nectar and pollen. Choose plants that flower at different periods to extend the foraging season for bees in your garden. Shallow or wide, tubular flowers with room to land are preferred, in tones of blue, purple, yellow, and white. Some flowers even have UV colouration invisible to people but very attractive to bees!

Provide a water source. Shallow water dishes or birdbaths with small rocks or pebbles to create a landing pad for bees will help thirsty bees, especially in dry seasons or regions. Be sure to clean your dish or bath regularly to avoid creating a habitat for mosquitoes or other pests.

Don't worry about tidiness. Last year's plant stems, fallen logs, stumps, and branches all provide natural homes for solitary bees to nest and reproduce. Don't be hasty cleaning debris from the garden in fall or in spring, as many beneficial insects (bees included!) use these spaces to overwinter.

Avoid the use of insecticides. Bees are sensitive to the pesticides used to control undesirable insects, and if you can avoid the use of insecticides altogether the bees will thank you! If you do need to spray your garden, do so very early in the morning or after dusk when bees are not active. Bees only visit and pollinate blooming plants, so avoid spraying until plants are no longer in bloom if possible. If you can, select application methods for insecticides that bees won't interact with, such as insect-specific traps or baits.

Plants to Feed the Bees

Bee Balm (Monarda)
Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia)
Bloodroot (Sanguinaria)
Blueberry (Vaccinium)
Boneset (Eupatorium)
Borage
Catmint (Nepeta)
Chives (Allium)
Coneflower (Echinacea)
Goldenrod (Solidago) 
Joe-Pye Weed (Eupatorium)
Lavender
Liatris
Lobelia
Milkweed (Asclepias)
Poppy (Papaver)
Sage (Saliva)
Sunflower (Helianthus)
Turtlehead (Chelone)

Flat-topped flowers with obvious stamens are attractive to many pollinating species, who can easily land on the petals and recieve a dusting of pollen while they feed on nectar. Turtlehead flowers have large openings that encourage many sizes of bees to crawl right in and pick up pollen as they get a snack. Some tubular flowers can only be pollinated by bee species with small bodies or long tongues. Planting a range of flowers with different shapes, sizes, colours, and bloom times will ensure you attract a wide variety of helpful bees to your garden!