RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—Rachael Winfree, PhD, is a scientist. So in typical academic fashion, her voice holds not a tone of drama; when she speaks, she lets the facts do the talking: “We need pollinators for global functioning and a livable planet,” says Winfree, an assistant professor of entomology at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ. “Eighty to 90 percent of plant species rely on animal pollinators.”
Translation: If you like to eat, you need to pay attention to this.
THE DETAILS: The importance of pollinators is well recognized by gardeners and organic farmers. Last year, 38 governors joined the Pollination Partnership in officially recognizing National Pollinator Week, which is in its third year and runs now through June 28. Bees, the most important pollinators in most ecosystems, sometimes spend upwards of 10 hours a day bouncing from flower to flower, collecting nectar and pollen to feed their offspring. In the process, they help boost crop production. Of all the different global food crop species, 75 percent benefit from pollinators, meaning they set more fruit or produce more seed. Not all rely entirely on pollinators, but many crops will do nothing without pollinating critters’ help.
WHAT IT MEANS: Honeybee populations have crashed in the last few years due to a mysterious disease caused “colony collapse disorder.” Although scientists haven’t pinpointed the thing (or things) contributing to the alarming trend, other researchers have found hope in native bees. Honeybees, originally brought here from Europe, are often leased by farmers to increase crops’ pollination. Still, there are about 4,000 species native to North America that may greatly aid in pollination—for free. And studies focusing on particular crops have found these native bees could help do much of the work left behind by disappearing honeybees. National Pollinator Week raises awareness of the importance of protecting these creatures. Creating a more hospitable environment for native bees is not only important for farmlands, it’s also beneficial for your yard and garden. The bees will help pollinate your flowers and plants, so they’ll produce seeds and you won’t have to waste money on new plants every year.
Here’s what you can do:
• Opt for organic. Natural Resources Defense Council is suing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for allegedly withholding information regarding a popular pesticide’s impact on pollinators. According to an April 2009 article in Organic Gardening magazine, in 2003, Bayer Crop Science received EPA registration approval for clothianidin, a neonicotinoid. Part of the EPA/Bayer deal, though, called for Bayer to submit studies showing the impact the pesticide had on honeybees. That research has not been released by either party, hence, the lawsuit.
Buying organic not only protects your family from pesticide residues, it also means you’re supporting farmers that don’t use dangerous chemicals that pollute water and endanger pollinators and other wildlife, helping to keep them out of the environment. Still not convinced? Think of it as a national security issue—buying organic helps protect our food supply. “Native bees can pick up a lot of slack in places where there are still good native bee populations,” says Winfree. “But most agricultural production in North America, the way we do it in California and the Midwest, is not very friendly to biodiversity. The areas producing most of our food are not going to have native pollinators.” Organic growing methods allow pollinators to thrive.
• Alleviate your fears. Many people are afraid of bees, but what they don’t understand is, they really don’t want to hurt you. Most of the 4,000 native bees in North America are solitary, meaning they live alone in the ground or in a burrow inside a twig. “When they sting they die, so it’s not something they’re looking to do,” says Winfree. She’s been working closely with native bees nearly every day for five years, and has only been stung two times. Often, people confuse non-native wasps with bees, giving the beneficial bees a bad wrap. To avoid being stung, don’t disturb their paperlike nests.
• Don’t zap garden friends. Pesticides and other yard chemicals are bad for beneficial bugs and for your family’s health. Even if you’re going chemical free, don’t be tempted to buy a bug zapper to fry mosquitoes, either. It could kill up to 10,000 beneficial bugs for every eight or so mosquitoes, according to research out of the University of Florida. To get rid of mosquitoes, your best bet is to eliminate standing water on your property, where mosquitoes breed.
• Invite pollinators over for dinner. The good news is farms that don’t use chemicals and grow a variety of crops are perfect environs for pollinators. You can help increase their numbers in your neighborhood with a few tips, too.
1. Place plants native to your area in your garden, and if you buy plants from a large garden center, look for perennials types that bees are swarming around. If bees avoid certain plants, chances are those have been bred so they don’t contain pollen or nectar. “Some seed companies don’t want plants to set seed, so they can sell you seeds every year,” says Winfree.
2. Plant an herb garden along with native plants. “Anything in the mint family, including perennial sages, will really attract native bees,” says Winfree.
3. Do not use pesticides. See organicgardening.com for loads of chemical-free gardening strategies.
4. Since many native bees like to live in the ground, leave a well-drained area, preferably on a slope, bare for them.
5. Leave some semi-natural areas in your landscape. Instead of cutting down stalks from perennials in the fall, leave them standing. It helps pollinators that nest in the stems. Even a little bit of dead, rotting (untreated) wood can make a good home for some bees.