[msscha]

My new gardens haven't brought in honeybees at all, but our native bees are busy making use of the new additions.

Small Native Bee

Yellow/Black Native Bee

Sweat Bee

 

[Andrew Dewey]

It is hard to believe looking out my window at brown fields that there are places where things are blooming. Plantings for honey bees often attract more native pollinators than honey bees. Sometimes I plant things for the native pollinators that honey bees seek out. There are several good articles in the May Bee Culture on the general topic of planting for bees that might interest you.

I love those green Sweat bees!

 

[msscha]

There are several good articles in the May Bee Culture on the general topic of planting for bees that might interest you.

I love those green Sweat bees!

Yes, I read that issue carefully, along with a local wildflowers association that has a great bee list.

I feel the same way about the Sweat bees! The first time I saw them, I had no idea what they were, then they were featured in an insect identification feature in Horticulture. We also have a second smaller native bee that is white/black striped -- couldn't get a proper pic of it today, but it's very cool, too.