Page 10 - 2018 Sonoma County Gardener's Resource Guide
P. 10

Creating an Oasis for Bees and Butter ies in Your Garden
  By Susan Kegley, Pesticide Research Institute Bees N Blooms Farm
mite and the diseases it transmits, as well as expanding monocultures in agricultural
 Spring is here and there is a buzz and a flutter in the air! With a little planning, your garden can be a haven for bees, butterflies and other pollinators. And they DO need your help!
areas that limit the diversity of food sources and habitat for pollinators.
Over the last 10 years, managed honey bee populations have dropped steeply, with beekeepers reporting heavy losses every year since then. Native bees such as bumble bees are not monitored
Gardeners and farmers can help bees and other pollinators by providing a pollinator- friendly space with a diversity of pesticide-free plants that provide nectar and pollen throughout the year, with a special emphasis on bee-attractive plants that bloom in late summer and fall. In Sonoma County, spring brings a riot of blooming plants, from apples in Sebastopol to mustard in the vineyards, along with rosemary, ceanothus, and acacia. But when the hot, dry summer
 as closely as honey bees, but
those that are being tracked
are declining in abundance as
well, with the western Rusty
Patched bumble bee listed as an
endangered species last year.
Butterflies are not doing much better—populations of the iconic Monarch butterfly on the west coast are down by nearly 80% since the early 1990s.
arrives, there are very few flowering plants, making it difficult for bees and butterflies to find enough to eat. That’s when your garden or farm should kick into high gear for pollinators.
There are several factors thought to be contributing
to the declining populations of bees, butterflies and other pollinators, with a new class of insecticides—the neonicotinoids—and certain fungicides playing a central role. Other stressors include pests of bees like the Varroa
The best plants for attracting pollinators are those with an abundance of nectar and/or pollen with an open center. Flowers with multiple petals and closed centers like roses
OASIS cont’d on page 11
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