Bees need a little backup, and your backyard is the perfect place to start. I used to think it took a full-on wildflower meadow, but even small changes make a big difference.
These 15 tips are easy, doable, and honestly kind of fun (plus, my garden has never looked better). The bees showed up, and they’ve been buzzing around ever since.
If you’re hoping to help out our tiny pollinator friends, this list is a great place to begin.
1. Plant Native Flowers
Native flowers are like five-star restaurants for local bees. They’ve evolved together over thousands of years, creating perfect matches between flower shapes and bee tongues.
Your local nursery can recommend native options that bloom throughout different seasons. This ensures bees have food sources from spring through fall, not just during summer months. Even a small patch of native blooms can support dozens of bee species!
2. Create a Bee Bath
Bees get thirsty too! Fill a shallow dish with clean water and add pebbles or marbles that stick up above the water line. These give bees safe landing spots to drink without drowning.
Place your bee bath in a shady spot to prevent quick evaporation. Remember to refresh the water every few days to prevent mosquito breeding. Even on hot days, you’ll spot grateful bees taking quick sips between flower visits.
3. Avoid Pesticides
Chemical pesticides don’t discriminate between harmful insects and beneficial bees. Even products labeled “organic” can harm pollinators if used incorrectly.
Try natural alternatives like neem oil or insecticidal soap for targeted pest control. Introducing beneficial insects like ladybugs can also keep garden pests in check. Your garden might look slightly less perfect, but the thriving bee population will more than make up for it!
4. Leave Bare Ground Patches
Surprisingly, most native bees don’t live in hives! About 70% are solitary ground-nesters who need patches of bare, undisturbed soil to dig their tiny homes.
Leave a few small areas of exposed dirt in sunny spots of your yard. Avoid mulching every inch of your garden beds. These bare patches might look messy to humans, but they’re prime real estate for ground-nesting bees raising the next generation.
5. Build a Bee Hotel
Wood-nesting bees need hollow stems and holes to raise their young. A simple bee hotel can be made from bundled bamboo, drilled wood blocks, or cardboard tubes.
Place your bee hotel on a south-facing wall about 3-6 feet off the ground. Make sure it has a slight overhang to keep rain out. By fall, you’ll notice the tubes getting sealed with mud or leaves as mother bees provision nests for next year’s generation!
6. Grow Herbs
Herbs pull double duty in your garden – they’re useful in the kitchen and irresistible to bees! Flowering herbs like lavender, thyme, mint, and oregano produce nectar-rich blooms that bees adore.
Allow some herbs to flower instead of harvesting all the leaves. The tiny blooms on herbs are packed with food for bees. As a bonus, many herbs are drought-resistant and easy to grow even for beginners.
7. Provide Nesting Materials
Leafcutter bees need soft materials to build their nests. Leave small piles of natural fibers like plant fluff, dried grass, or small twigs in sheltered corners of your yard.
You might spot these industrious bees carrying perfectly cut circles of leaves back to their nests. Don’t worry about the holes in your rose bushes – it’s a small price to pay for supporting these gentle pollinators who rarely sting and do amazing garden work.
8. Embrace Dandelions
Those pesky yellow “weeds” are actually bee superfoods! Dandelions provide crucial early-season nectar when few other flowers are blooming. They’re among the first food sources available to bees emerging from winter.
Consider leaving dandelions in part of your lawn, especially in spring. If neighbors complain, pick the flowers for tea or salads before they go to seed. Your tolerance of these sunny volunteers makes a huge difference to hungry spring bees.
9. Reduce Lawn Space
Traditional grass lawns are food deserts for bees. Converting even a small section of lawn into flowering plants creates a pollinator paradise that needs less water and maintenance.
Start with a corner that’s difficult to mow or doesn’t get much use. Plant clover, creeping thyme, or other low-growing flowering plants as lawn alternatives. The buzzing visitors will show their appreciation immediately, and you’ll spend less time pushing a lawnmower!
10. Create Shelter Zones
Bees need protection from harsh weather and predators. Brush piles, rock gardens, and unmulched areas provide crucial shelter during storms or extreme heat.
Leave a few areas of your yard slightly wild and untidy. The hollow stems of last year’s perennials make perfect winter homes for hibernating bees. What might look messy to humans is actually valuable bee real estate that helps these pollinators survive challenging conditions.
11. Plant for Continuous Blooms
Bees need food throughout their active season, not just during peak summer. Plan your garden to include early bloomers like crocus, mid-season flowers like coneflower, and late-season options like asters.
Check with local garden centers for plants that flower during different months in your climate. Even container gardens on balconies can provide this continuous buffet. A succession of blooms ensures bees have reliable food sources from spring awakening through fall hibernation.
12. Grow Flowering Trees
Trees like maples, lindens, and fruit trees provide thousands more flowers than small plants ever could. A single flowering tree can feed hundreds of bees at once during its blooming period.
Even small yards usually have room for a dwarf fruit tree or ornamental cherry. The spectacular spring show of blossoms will transform your yard into a buzzing metropolis. Plus, you might get delicious fruits as a bonus for your bee-friendly efforts!
13. Limit Night Lighting
Excessive outdoor lighting disrupts bee navigation and sleep patterns. While bees aren’t active at night, artificial light can confuse their biological clocks and behavior the next day.
Use motion sensors or timers on necessary outdoor lights. Choose warm-colored bulbs instead of bright white or blue lights which are more disruptive to insects. These simple adjustments create a healthier nighttime environment for all beneficial insects in your garden.
14. Buy Local Honey
Supporting local beekeepers encourages sustainable honey production and bee-friendly practices in your community. Local honey also contains trace amounts of local pollen, which some believe helps with seasonal allergies.
Visit farmers markets to meet beekeepers and learn about their hives. Many offer tours or workshops where you can learn more about honeybees. Your purchases help fund crucial pollinator education and conservation efforts right in your own neighborhood.
15. Spread Bee Knowledge
Fear of bees often leads to unnecessary extermination. Teaching friends and family about bee benefits and gentle nature helps create more bee advocates in your community.
Share photos of bees visiting your garden on social media. Explain how most bees rarely sting when unprovoked. Host a seed-swapping party with bee-friendly plant varieties. Your enthusiasm can inspire others to transform their yards into interconnected bee havens across neighborhoods!