Bringing the buzz to your backyard

The laughter, the screeching and all the commotion that summer brings to yards can hide a frenzy of buzzing by nature’s miracle worker - bees.

Responsible for pollinating an estimated third of all crops, bees generate up to $15 billion in revenue a year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. On top of their economic value they contribute a priceless service in helping the ecosystem thrive.

With the expansion of cities and landscape claimed for mankind, bees are facing human induced obstacles on their quest for nectar and pollen. Bee friendly gardens, no matter how big or small, can assist these invaluable creatures and double as a floral showcase pleasing humans and insects alike.

“Pollinators love flowers, so you look for flowers that bloom early in the spring that bloom through the fall,” said Master Gardener Sheryl Casteen.

Starting with daffodils and fruit trees in early spring, to summer bloomers such as dahlias and zinnias, gardens can become a mosaic of eye-catching color for both you and bees. Casteen suggests planting flowers that expose where pollen is stored such as daisies, which make it easier for bees to collect pollen.

Although honey bees get most of the pollination credit, they have a powerful pollinating partner that resembles a small blue fly. Casteen recommends that mason bees be welcomed to any garden.

“The mason bee does 20 times the work than honey bees,” she said.

Mason bees will visit an estimated 1,000 blooms a day and a foraging female can be as effective as 100 honey bees, according to the American Beekeeping Federation. Because the mason bee flies in colder and wetter weather than the honey bee, they give vegetables and fruits a head start in the spring.

While honey bees fly up to five miles from the hive and require up to an acre of pasture to forage, the mason bee does all their foraging within 400 feet of their home. Placing a mason bee home in your garden will enhance your blooms because they will stay close to home, stimulating your plant productivity.

Mason bees lay their eggs in tunnels dug by grubs or carved by woodpeckers. Unable to make their own, they find abandoned areas that fit their shape criteria, including hollowed reefs, and pack their eggs one after another in a tubelike fashion. Each egg is cushioned by pollen and sealed by mud creating a capsule for each, giving them their name “mason.” Their young will emerge and pollinate your garden each spring.

Gentle by nature, both honey and mason bees rarely sting unless provoked. Mason bees produce no honey like their counterpart and thus their homes require little care. They are also immune to the deadly varroa mite which is largely responsible for the decline of the honey bee.

The mason bee is native to North America, unlike the honey bee which is native to Europe, but despite their different origins the two have learned to coexist and are not competitive when foraging. A healthy garden can have both species living happily alongside the other.

Steve Oda, president of the Linn County Beekeepers Association, has been hosting honey bees for seven years and has eight hives. He set up his hives when he noticed neighborhood fruit trees were not producing well.

When introducing his hives he visited his neighbors and educated them on how they would help the neighborhood. He wanted to teach their importance to ensure people wouldn’t be unwelcoming or afraid of his bees.

“People don’t distinguish between honey bees and yellow jackets,” said Oda. “I think people are now more accepting of what my bees have done for the neighborhood.”

Since his bees have been at work, the lackluster fruit trees he once observed are more fruitful than ever. Some of his neighbors have joined in support and have started to mow their lawns less, giving chance for wildflower growth. Others have started to leave sections of their property untouched, letting native blooms like dandelions and queen anne’s lace for the bees.

“Someone who wants a weed-free lawn will not be helpful to bees,” he cautioned.

Although certain “weeds” can be invasive to decorative areas, healthy bees need a variety of flowers and plants to consume, just as humans need different food groups. With care in designing your garden, your yard can become an oasis for bees, and the price they pay for residence comes in the form of plentiful fruits and vegetables on your table.