Bees are necessary to the production of many food crops. In fact, ``honeybees are the premier pollinator of agronomic crops around the entire world,'' according to Oregon State University entomology professor Michael Burgett.
Honeybees (Apis mellifera or A. mellifera carnica) can pollinate more plant species than any other insect. Other species of bees, such as orchard bees or mason bees, are crop-specific.
Bees do more than spread pollen from one flower to another. When bees visit the garden, food crops will always yield more, produce bigger and more perfectly shaped fruit, and help plants to make seed, researchers say.
Even small gardens benefit the honeybee. Bees must visit between 3 million and 5 million blossoms to make 2 pounds of honey.
Unfortunately, honeybee populations have been decimated by parasitic mites.
The mite threat to honeybees is beyond the control of most gardeners. But gardeners can control their pesticide use, which is another threat to bees. Even some organic products such as horticultural oil sprays, soap sprays, pyrethrum and rotenone are toxic to bees. If you must use these products, spray them when the bees are not foraging, usually after sunset.
Better yet, use alternative nontoxic controls such as beneficial insects, traps and neem (a nontoxic botanical pesticide extract from the seeds of the neem tree). Also, keep and grow only healthy plants.
Plant your garden so there will be blooms available throughout the year. Anytime the temperature is above 55 degrees Fahrenheit, bees are searching for food. By growing a broad range of flowering plants and trees, you'll provide pollen and nectar for bees, especially during the winter and early spring when food sources can become scarce. You might be keeping a hive alive and strong.
Witch hazel, pussy willows, crocus, candytuft and alyssum are all early blooming. Other choice flowers for bees are the mints, other flowering herbs, impatiens, gaillardia, asters, forget-me-not, bee balm, alliums, hyssop, poppies, goldenrod and borage.
Get to know what honeybees look like. Many people mistake yellow jackets for honeybees. They're not, and because people kill yellow jackets thinking they are aggressive bees, they also kill the beneficial honeybee.
Tomorrow: Know your bees from your wasps and yellow jackets.
-- HGNW staff
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