There has been a lot of buzz about the decline of bee populations lately. But what most people are focusing on is the loss of large honeybee colonies. While devasting, honeybees are actually not native to the United States and there are a greater diversity of pollinators that are being lost that we should be focusing on. One of the best ways to help our native Minnesota pollinators is to plant native Minnesota plants.

Besides honeybees, there are more than 500 native bee species to Minnesota alone. Other pollinators include butterflies, moths, beetles, and native flies. These pollinators play a large role in pollinating crops and native plants. A large contribution to their decline has been habitat loss and nutrition loss. Programs such as Lawns to Legumes aim to provide resources and funds to homeowners to create their own pollinator garden in their yard. The hope is that the more people who participate in these types of programs, the more pockets of habitat will be available for pollinators. Currently, most houses boast a large lawn with generally the same shrubs and non-native flowering landscape. This creates a mono-culture habitat that is not conducive to our native pollinators.

Planting native means you are providing appropriate nutrients for pollinators. Native plants and pollinators have evolved alongside one another. Some native plants have evolved specifically for certain pollinators, meaning they are shaped in such a way that only that pollinator can access its nectar. Therefore, for these native plants to continue to survive they rely on these pollinators having a healthy population. While other pollinators have evolved to rely on specific plants for their nectar and pollen needs. If native wildflowers become out competed by non-native flowers or these flowers are far and few between, those pollinators will struggle to get enough food and nutrients to reproduce, which leads to a fall in population.

One of the most important factors to focus on when starting your pollinator garden is making sure that you have a variety of plants that bloom early spring, summer, and late summer/into fall. This ensures that pollinators have a food source during the entire season they are out. Pollinators have different nutrient needs during spring, summer, and fall. Native flowers have evolved to bloom during different parts of the growing season to provide different ratios of nutrients and sugars to pollinators. For example, in spring, pollinators need high protein to build their population and raise young. Summer brings the need for more nectar and high energy for foraging and honey production. Whereas in autumn, pollinators focus less on pollen and more on the carbohydrates they get from nectar for overwintering. There is still time to get out there and plant your very own pollinator garden. The best way to start your garden is with plant plugs but you can also start by seed. Once established, native pollinator gardens need very little maintenance. Over the years, once the plants have become established, they will start to fill out and fill the area of your garden with wonderful color! Once fall hits, make sure to leave your garden alone until after the last frost in spring. This ensures that pollinators have ample habitat to overwinter in.

Author: Sydney Weisinger, Teacher/Naturalist