Gardening for bumblebees
Conversion of natural habitats over to residential and commercial uses has eliminated a great deal of bumblebee habitat. In addition, many insecticides and herbicides are either toxic to bees or destroy their habitats by killing plants that provide bees with nectar and pollen. With that said, there are steps you can take to enhance areas around your home for bumblebees. Bumblebees have two basic needs, food from flowers in the form of nectar and pollen and suitable nesting sites. By meeting one of these needs, you can make a contribution to bumblebee conservation in your area. Continue reading to learn how to create a bumblebee garden of your own.
Garden size and location
The size of your bumblebee garden will largely be based on the space you have available and the time you wish to spend tending to it. Even a small garden can provide valuable resources for bees. In terms of location, a spot that receives at least six hours of sunlight is ideal. Plants in areas that receive more sunlight will produce more nectar than those in shady situations.
Plant native, avoid non-native!
Plants native to Arkansas are the best choice for a bumblebee garden. Native plants have evolved to the conditions of an Arkansas summer and typically, once established, require much less care than non-native plants. Heirloom varieties of some plants and herbs are also acceptable for bumblebee gardens. They all provide a good source of nectar and pollen for bumblebees. Plants to avoid for bumblebee gardens include horticultural varieties and double-flowered hybrids (marigolds, roses). These plants have been bred for showy flowers in place of the structures that produce pollen. They also produce little to no nectar.
Plan for a succession of flowers
Bumblebees need a supply of nectar and pollen beginning in early spring and extending into late summer. When planning your bumblebee garden, choose plants that will bloom at different times of the year (spring, summer, early fall).
Plant in groups
Large clusters of the same plant species work much better in attracting bumblebees than singly spaced plants. Three or four plants of the same species grouped together are much more attractive to bumblebees than scattered, isolated plants.
Kick the poison habit
Insecticides used for garden pests are also highly toxic to bumblebees. In gardens strictly devoted to flowers, the insects that feed on the foliage of plants should just be viewed as another user group, along with bumblebees, and allowed to live their lives. Also avoid the use of herbicides in bumblebee gardens. The presence of "weeds" or unwanted plants in your garden can be minimized by hand-pulling or heavy mulching. The absence of these chemicals from our landscapes will benefit bumblebees and a whole host of other species.
Native Plants for the Bumblebee Garden
columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)
purple milkweed (Asclepias purpurascens)
white-flowered milkweed (Asclepias variegata)
spider milkweed (Asclepias viridis)
yellow wild indigo (Baptisia sphaerocarpa)
pale purple coneflower (Echinacea pallida)
purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
Joe pye weed (Eupatorium fistulosum)
narrow-leaved sunflower (Helianthus angustifolia)
common sunflower (Helianthus annus)
woodland sunflower (Helianthus divaricatus)
ashy sunflower (Helianthus mollis)
jewelweed (Impatiens capensis)
rough blazing star (Liatris aspera)
blazing star (Liatris elegans)
prairie gayfeather (Liatris pycnostachya)
evening-primrose (Oenothera biennis)
sundrops (Oenothera fruticosa)
showy evening-primrose (Oenothera speciosa) (bottom right)
passionflower (Passiflora incarnata)
Arkansas beard-tongue (Penstemon arkansana)
foxglove beard-tongue (Penstemon digitalis)
obedient plant (Physostegia virginiana)
gray-head coneflower (Ratibida pinnata) (top right)
black-eyed susan (Rudbeckia hirta)
compass plant (Silphium laciniatum)
cup plant (Silphium perfoliatum)
Canada goldenrod (Solidago canadensis)
three-lobed violet (Viola palmata var. triloba)
bird's-foot violet (Viola pedata)