Date: April 5, 2019
Source: American Phytopathological Society
Bees are
critical members of the ecosystem: 75% of leading food crops have some level of
dependency on pollinators. However, native bee populations are struggling
because of loss of habitat and food, often caused by urban and suburban
development. The good news is that a single tree or shrub can produce thousands
of flowers with high-quality pollen and nectar, providing bees with the protein
and carbohydrates they need to thrive.
Many
resources encourage homeowners and land care managers to create bee-friendly
environments, but most of them include lists of recommended plants rarely
backed by science. To rectify this, Dr. Daniel Potter surveyed 72 native and
non-native woody plant species in 5 sample sites throughout the Ohio Valley
region to document which species attract which bees. His findings, which he
summarizes in the webcast "Woody Plants for Urban Bee Conservation,"
include the following:
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