The other 4,000 bees besides honey bees | Column

The Buzz About Native Bees: Why Your Backyard Might Be More Important Than Your Honey Jar

For many Maine gardeners, the arrival of bees each summer is a welcome sign that pollination is underway. But according to conservation researchers, the insects most responsible for putting food on American tables aren't the familiar honey producers people typically associate with pollination.

North America hosts approximately 4,000 native bee species, from tiny Perdita minima—measuring just 2 millimeters—to carpenter bees large enough to rival a kumquat. These native pollinators have been doing the continent's heavy lifting for millions of years, long before European colonists arrived in the 1620s with honey bees (Apis mellifera) in tow.

A long-running study from Cornell University found that native bees are two to three times more effective at pollinating apple crops than their honey-producing counterparts. The reason lies in how they carry pollen. Native bees transport it loosely in dry, fuzzy patches on their bodies, allowing it to rub off easily onto flowers. Honey bees pack pollen into neat, compact bundles that retain their shape rather than shedding it.

This difference matters significantly for certain crops. Tomatoes, blueberries, cranberries, and squash release pollen only when vibrated at specific frequencies—a technique called buzz pollination. Bumblebees and many native species can perform this feat; honey bees cannot. Commercial greenhouse tomato growers have taken notice, relying on bumblebee colonies rather than honey bee hives for their operations.

Despite their importance, native bee populations have been declining with little public awareness. The rusty-patched bumblebee, once common throughout the eastern United States, has vanished from approximately 87 percent of its historic range. Federal wildlife officials added it to the endangered species list in 2017—the first American bee to receive that designation. Research from the Xerces Society indicates that more than a quarter of North American bumblebee species now face elevated risk of extinction.

The good news is that homeowners can make a meaningful difference without purchasing hives or honey. Most native bees—about 70 percent—nest underground in small burrows. They require only a patch of well-drained, sunny soil left bare by mulch or grass. Even a few square feet can support dozens of solitary nesting sites.

The remaining native bee species nest in hollow plant stems or cavities within dead wood. Gardeners can accommodate them by leaving 8 to 15 inches of stem standing when cutting back plants like goldenrod, raspberry canes, or hydrangeas in spring. Alternatively, bundled cuttings placed beneath shrubs provide ready-made habitat.

Those wanting to go further can construct simple nesting blocks from untreated hardwood. Holes should measure between 5/32 and 3/8 inch in diameter and extend approximately 6 inches deep. Mount the blocks a few feet above ground in a dry, sheltered location, and replace or clean them every two years to prevent parasite buildup.

Plant selection also plays a crucial role. Native species that bloom early and late in the season support bees during vulnerable periods. Willows and serviceberry provide essential food for queen bumblebees emerging in spring, while asters and goldenrod help fatten up next year's queens before winter arrives.

Pesticide avoidance rounds out the most impactful steps. Systemic insecticides, particularly neonicotinoids, accumulate in pollen and nectar at levels that impair bees' navigation and foraging abilities—effects that can extend well beyond treated areas.

While honey bees remain valuable pollinators for certain crops like almonds, researchers emphasize that maintaining a hive constitutes a hobby rather than a conservation action. Large managed colonies can even spread pathogens to wild populations and compete with native bees for limited floral resources.

For gardeners willing to set aside even a small sunny corner of bare earth, the payoff extends far beyond their own property lines. Native bees have been sustaining North American ecosystems since long before human intervention—and with minimal encouragement, they will continue doing so for generations to come.