Honeybees pollinate much of the food we eat, including fruits, nuts, grains and vegetables. Because our food supply relies on honeybees, the agricultural industry closely monitors their population and health. Thanks to this monitoring we know that the largest honeybee die-off on record happened last winter, with commercial beekeepers reporting 62% colony loss.

While honeybees receive widespread attention from the public and the agricultural industry, there is comparatively little attention given to native bees. Their significant contribution to our food supply and healthy ecosystems goes largely unnoticed and underappreciated.

Monitoring the population of native bees is a difficult task, but available data indicates their populations are in significant decline across North America. Native bees face the same threats as honeybees from pesticides, viruses and parasites. However, the loss of habitat is a much greater threat. Unlike honeybees, native bees do not have a beekeeper to ensure they have abundant food and shelter.

Gardeners have the opportunity to provide native bees with food and shelter. Our gardens can provide a consistent source of pollen and nectar from early spring until late fall, a reliable water supply; and sites to build nests, lay eggs and care for the next generation.

Is your garden helping? This question can be answered by simply walking through your garden and counting the number of flowers, potential nesting sites and native bee visitors you see.

Different species of native bees emerge throughout the season, so it is best to do this count several times. Native bees forage between 300 and 500 feet from their nest, so include the area adjacent to your garden.

How many flowers?

A good rule of thumb is to have a minimum of three plants blooming continuously from early spring until late fall. Not all flowers are equal. Native plants are preferred because they have co-evolved with native bee species, providing the specific nutrients and resources that native bees need to thrive. Many ornamental flowers and hybrids have poor pollen quality or none at all, and are of no use to bees.

Native trees and shrubs are a good option for your garden and include Western Serviceberry, Red-osier Dogwood, Mock Orange, Smooth Sumac, Golden Currant and Nootka Rose. Trees include Quaking Aspen, Cascade Mountain Ash, Vine Maple and Oregon White Oak. These native plants provide the needed food and shelter at the proper time.

Supplementing the food supply until the native species become established should be considered. Flexible options include growing heirloom sunflowers, buckwheat, red clover and white clover. By adjusting planting times and mowing schedules, it is possible to maintain a constant supply of food.

How many nesting sites?

A majority (70%) of native bees are ground nesters requiring bare, well-drained soil. The remaining 30% are cavity nesters and rely on existing tunnels in dead wood, hollow stems or man-made structures.

If your garden requires more nesting sites, focus on providing some undisturbed soil. Leave bare patches, build a brush pile, and use mulch that bees can pass through. A very enjoyable option is the addition of a bee hotel.

How many bees?

Bee identification does not need to be difficult. It is good enough to know that bees are flying insects with round bodies, a hairy appearance and pollen on their legs and bodies. Observing the blossom of an heirloom sunflower will improve your bee identification skills. The large sunflower pollen grains make it easy to discern which of the flying insects visiting the bloom are bees.

It is helpful to quickly identify honeybees. Fortunately, this is an easy task because your mental image of a bee is likely that of a honeybee. They have a hairy appearance with dark brown or black bodies with bands of yellow or amber on their abdomen.

After you count the bees on your flowers, ignore the honeybees. Assume that the remaining flying insects with pollen on their legs are native bees.

There are 600 species of native bees that call Washington State home. They display a wide range of sizes, shapes and colors. Common species include bumblebees, mason bees, sweat bees, mining bees and leafcutter bees.

Several possibilities could explain why there might be a small number of bees visiting your flowers. Possible explanations include time of day, weather conditions, more attractive flowers nearby or a low bee population. It may take several observations to determine a cause.

Observing a nearby English Lavender or heirloom sunflower can provide clues. If the lavender and sunflowers have a large number of honeybees and few if any native bee visitors, the situation suggests that competition from honeybees may be an issue. Honeybees can quickly deplete the supply of pollen and nectar that native bees need to survive. To produce one pound of honey a honeybee needs to collect nectar from approximately 2 million flowers. A healthy hive will produce over 100 pounds of honey in a season. This is a lot of competition.

Experiment and be patient

Improving habitat takes time and effort. No single approach will work for every garden or gardener. Experiment to find an approach that works with your available space and your gardening style.

For years, I have spent an excessive amount of time and energy attempting to convert my lawn and garden into a pollen and nectar buffet. There have been many failures with no signs of progress. Finally this year, there are noticeably more native bees visiting and it all feels worthwhile.