How to Attract Pollinators? Create a Bee-Friendly Environment in Your Flowering Area!

Spring is in its power, and our green areas outside are full of flowers and blooms. But how to make your trees and plants to grow those favorite fruits and vegetables in the summer and in the autumn? This will be impossible without the bees and the other pollinating insects, which are responsible for more than one-third of the food we eat! So, what should we do to attract them in our garden or greenhouse? We invite you today to discover how to attract pollinators and keep them healthy, creating a bee-friendly environment in your flowering area.

What are Pollinating Insects and Which of Them to Attract?

Bees, which are responsible for pollination of a lot of the plants we eat, are over 20 000 species, but the most common in our gardens and other green ares are honey bees, bumblebees, and solitary bees. They are very vulnerable to pesticide use, as well as to loosing their territories, that’s why, in recent years, the number of these pollinating insects have declined. Therefore, it’s crucial to search ways how to attract pollinators to our gardens and greenhouses.

Apart from bees, the other pollinating insects are butterflies, moths, wasps, flies, beetles, and each of them are specialized to pollinate different types of flowers. Honey bees are social insects and live in colonies. Distinctively larger from them are the bumblebees, which are excellent pollinators for tomatoes, peppers, and blueberries. And, finally, the solitary bees visit mostly the early-blooming plants.

How to Attract Pollinators to Your Garden?

What are pollinators most attracted to? If you think how to attract them to your garden, consider the following easy steps, which we propose:

Planting a Variety of Flowers

Choose flowers, so that you have ones from different species, ensuring they will bloom at different times throughout the growing season. Thus, the bees and other pollinators will have available food all the time.

Have Flowers with a Variety of Colors and Shapes

It’s important to have a variety of colorful flowers, because bees are attracted to blue, purple, and yellow tones, while butterflies and moths prefer red, orange, and pink colors. Plant your them in clusters in order they to attract more efficiently, creating a visual “target” for bees, moths and butterflies.

Provide a Source of Water

Pollinators need water to survive, so placing a shallow dish of water with a few stones for them to perch on will attract them to your garden.

How to Attract Pollinators to Greenhouse?

Attracting pollinating insects to your greenhouse requires a different approach, because this is a closed area, and your bees should have enough holes to enter in it. Here are the suggestions on how to attract pollinators there:

Select the Plants in Your Greenhouse

The range of vegetables should include the very attractive to pollinators ones, such as tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers.

Provide Water for Pollinators

This can be done easily by misting the plants with water. Another approach may be to place shallow dishes of water there.

Provide a Bee House

Ensure that this tiny “building” is a safe place for the solitary bees (mainly mason bees and leafcutter bees) to nest. You can purchase a bee house, or make one yourself by drilling holes in a block of wood. The other possibility is to stack bamboo tubes.

How to Attract Bees to a Bee House?

Bee houses are a great way to invite solitary bees, which are known for their ability to effectively pollinate early-blooming plants. If you are searching for a sure way how to attract pollinators for your bee house placed in the garden or greenhouse, follow these advices:

Choose the Location Carefully

Bee houses should be placed in a sunny place, preferably facing southeast or south. Choose a location for them, which is protected from wind and rain, and is at least three feet off the ground.

Provide Nesting Material for the Bees

You can purchase pre-made nesting tubes for the bees or make your own by drilling holes in blocks of wood or stacking bamboo tubes. Then ensure your greenhouse has enough food for the pollination insects, planting a variety of flowers that bloom throughout the growing season. You can also place a shallow vessel, full of water somewhere on the floor, with stones for the bees to perch on.

Creating a pollinator-friendly environment

If you have already attracted your bees, and decided to avoid using pesticides in your garden, which can be very harmful to pollinators, you’ve created a pollinator-friendly environment. Try to use natural pest control methods, such as handpicking pests or companion planting. Attracting pollinators to your garden or greenhouse is essential for the health of your plants and the whole environment. With these simple steps, you can create a beautiful and productive garden, while supporting the essential work of pollinators.