Know These Pollinating Wonders
Did you know there are more than 20,000 species of bees worldwide? That鈥檚 more than all the mammals, amphibians, and reptiles combined! You may be familiar with bumblebees and honeybees, but Illinois boasts 500 species of native bees鈥攎etallic green and blue bees that look nothing like the fuzzy yellow and black icon.
Bees are critically important in pollinating native plants, and the relationship can be complex. For instance, some flowers require 鈥渂uzz pollination,鈥 whereby a bee grabs onto a flower鈥檚 anthers and must vibrate at a particular frequency for the flower to release pollen.
To evaluate the best habitats for native bees, the 91短视频 has collected bees from all around the Chicago region鈥攇reen roofs, city parks, and restored prairies. The work of the Garden鈥檚 Rebecca Tonietto, Plant Biology and Conservation Ph.D. student, has revealed that bees can thrive in urban environments if we humans help instead of harm their habitats.
Bee informed
- Only females have stingers. In fact, certain genera have no stingers at all.
- Bees have five eyes: in addition to the two most prominent, there are three on top of their heads that track light and motion. In fact, when you watch bees, be aware that your shadow may scare them more than you.
- Only honeybees make honey鈥攆ood for bee larva!
- Bee diets consist of pollen as a protein and nectar as a carbohydrate.
- Bee size ranges鈥攕ome are bigger than an adult thumb, some are smaller than the width of your pinky nail.
- The name 鈥淒umbledore鈥 is an Old English term for a bumblebee.
- Despite what you may expect, bee diversity is most abundant in arid regions like the desert.
- While some bees do live communally or in hives or colonies, many are solitary鈥攁 single female may make her nest in a hole in the ground or in rotted wood.
- Colony Collapse Disorder is the term given to the mysterious and dramatic disappearance of North American honeybees. It is estimated that if the trend continues, honeybees will completely disappear from our continent by 2035. The direct impact of this for humans would be the loss of most fruits, vegetables, and nuts pollinated by honeybees, with secondary trouble for beef and dairy industries since cattle rely on the clover and hay pollinated by honeybees.
Attracting Bees to Your Backyard
Human beings play an important role in protecting one of nature鈥檚 premier pollinators. Here's what you can do to help:
- Keep a portion of your garden untilled and leave a few broken branches in your yard.
- Grow native, flowering plants such as black-eyed Susan, Joe-pye weed, and purple coneflower.
- In late spring, build your own bee condo! It鈥檚 easy.
