Pollinators have a very important job. Without pollinators, we wouldn’t have food, flowers or trees. In recent years, there has been a decline in pollinators, and in some species a decline of as much as 87%.
Everyone knows that bees, butterflies and birds are great pollinators, but there are so many more than that. Bats, beetles, and flies also share the work ensuring we have food and crops.
As good stewards of the land, it’s important for us to do our best to protect our pollinators and do our part by making our lawns and yards pollinator friendly. Not only are many pollinators fun to watch, but if you have a garden, flowers, or fruit trees, they help to propagate your plants and help your plants set fruit and vegetables.
To learn what pollinators you can attract, you must observe and see what types of them show up. Take a walk through your neighborhood and pay attention to some of the pollinators you see, as well as taking note of what types of plants they seem to be most interested in, and the colors and shapes of those plants and flowers. For an in depth and pretty conclusive list to pollinators and native plants they like located here in Western North Carolina, check out this great resource by Pollinator.org.
Whether you’re just starting out and amending your yard for pollinators, or an experienced pro, we have some tips for helping your yard be friendly for our pollinating critters.
1. Try to completely avoid or minimize the use of pesticides when possible. Many pesticides not only kill the bad bugs you don’t want, but they indiscriminately kill the good guys too. Beyond killing good guys, the run off from the use of some pesticides can harm fish, amphibians and reptiles that live in streams and rivers. Try using a natural method before breaking out the chemicals to keep the pollinators safe.
2. Buy and plant native flowers, trees and other types of plants. There have been studies done on how pollinators such as bees react to native versus non-native plants. In most cases, the bees are more attracted to the native plants. Not only can native plants help protect the environment and make it safe for other species to live in, it prevents invasive species from taking over and depleting resources as well. Always choose native whenever you can!
3. Choose many different colors of flowers. Pollinators all have certain requirements, vision and preferences to consider when deciding to visit a plant they wish to pollinate. Bees for example can see a range of bright colors and having a variety to choose from helps pollinators find what they came for. Hummingbirds prefer red colored flowers, butterflies like yellows, oranges and reds, and bees like a mix of white, purple, blue and yellow. For pollinators such as bats who have poor vision, ensuring you plant white for contrast and evening blooming flowers that are sweetly scented are recommended.
4. Include flowers of different sizes, shapes and heights in your landscaping. There are as many as 4,000 bee species, and hundreds of other pollinator species in the United States alone, all with different sizes, tongue lengths and have their own preferences for what they want to feed on. Planting a variety of native flowers in different shapes and sizes can help bring more pollinators to your yard and keep more of them happy and fed so they want to stay.
5. Plant flowers in clumps so there are more plants available for pollination. Planting flowers in clumps can help to attract a larger population of pollinators and help to support multiple species. If you have enough space, planting in clumps of 4 feet or more will bring you the most luck with attracting pollinators.
6. Have a diversity of plants that bloom at different times throughout the year to keep a consistent supply of pollen for critters to feed on. While species such as butterflies may migrate further south as the weather cools, there are those that stay in their summer area and overwinter, usually underground or in hives. Having plants that bloom Spring, Summer and Fall can help create a steady supply of food, meaning more pollinators will come to visit. Bees tend to not go too far from their home territories, so creating a sanctuary complete with food and protection is helpful for the species that stick around.
7. Location, location, location. Different pollinators have different places that they are attracted too. Bees prefer sunny spots with wind protection, whereas pollinating flies and birds may prefer more shady spots protected by trees or shrubs.
For more information pertaining to making your lawn pollinator friendly, check out these great resources here and here.