Bees, Beneficials and Blooms

~Marie S. Rojas

Bees

Honey Bees: brought here by European settlers in colonial times to pollinate their crops.

• Over $26 million dollars of agricultural produce are attributed to honey bee pollination in Maryland.

• More than 100,000 pounds of honey are produced by Maryland beekeepers.

• Social, live in a colony with a queen, workers, and drones. Colonies over-winter and live for years.

• Responsible for about 80% of the pollination of fruits, nuts, grains and vegetables in the U.S.

Bees, cont.

Bumble Bees: native, 50 known species in North America.

• Large bees with plump bodies, covered with fine hairs, giving them a fuzzy look.

• Able to fly/forage in lower temperatures than honey bees.

• Social insect like honey bees; live in a colony, but all die each winter except the queen.

• Colony typically located in the ground.

• Valuable pollinators, responsible for about 15% of the pollination of U.S. crops.

• They have long tongues, well suited for pollinating cool-season crops that have long narrow flowers, like clover, alfalfa, and vetch (forage crops for livestock).

• Readily used to pollinate tomatoes, blueberries, cranberries, watermelon, peppers, squash, cucumbers, apples, and plums.

Bees, cont.

Other Bees: Maryland is home to around 400 species of native bees!

• Squash Bees – specialized pollinators of squash and other plants in the cucumber family.

• Halictid Bees – shiny, metallic-colored bodies, some known as “sweat bees”.• Social, though not the same as

honey bees.

• Most nest in the ground.

Other Bees, cont.

• Andrena Bees – miner bees, nest in tunnels in the ground.• Mostly solitary, some of the

earliest to emerge in spring.

• Some species good at pollinating azaleas and apples.

• Megachilid Bees – mason and leaf-cutter bees; Blue Orchard Bee.• Most nest in holes found in

wood, some may use wooden nest boxes.

Beneficials – Predatory Insects

Predators: young or adults (or both!) feed directly on other insects.

• Spiders: eat beetles, caterpillars, flies, moths, mosquitoes, and anything else.• Many different

species commonly found in landscapes.

Predators, cont.

Assassin Bugs

• Adults and nymphs feed on flies, mosquitos, caterpillars, leafhoppers, aphids, and beetles.

• Long beaks, which they use to stab prey.

• Don’t handle, they will defend themselves if threatened, resulting in painful bite!

Predators, cont.

Wheel Bug

• One of the species of assassin bugs.

• Adults and nymphs eat caterpillars, planthoppers, beetles, aphids, and other soft-bodied insects.

Predators, cont.

Soldier Beetles

• Adults feed on aphids, caterpillars, such as bagworms, and other soft-bodied insects.

• Eggs are laid in clusters in the soil and larvae eat eggs and larvae of beetles, moths, grasshoppers, and other insects.

Predators, cont.

Ladybird Beetles

• Adults and larvae feed on aphids, scale, mites, beetle eggs.

Predators, cont.

Lacewings

• Larvae feed on aphids, lacebugs, caterpillars, and mites.

"Predatory midge" by Whitney Cranshaw, Colorado State University.

Predators, cont.

Aphid Midges

• Larvae eat aphids, mites, and other small insects.

Predators, cont.

Syrphid, Hover, or Flower Flies

• Larvae feed on aphids, scale, thrips, and other soft-bodied insects.

• Larvae are legless and slug-like.

• A single syrphid larva can consume hundreds of aphids after 3 – 4 weeks of feeding!

• Adults look like bees, but they only have 2 wings and short antennae.

Beneficials – Parasitic Insects (Parasitoids)

Parasitoids: young develop on or in a host insect, emerge as adult, eventually killing host.

• Parasitic wasps: attack caterpillars, leafhoppers, aphids, flies, scale, beetles, and true bugs.

Parasitic wasps, cont.

Blue-winged Digger Wasp: one of several species that lay eggs on turf pests.

• White grubs of Japanese, green, and June beetles.

• See them flying over lawn grass, locating grubs.

• Dig down and lays an egg on a grub.

Beneficials – Parasitic Flies

Tachnid Flies

• Lay eggs on host insect, which hatch and enter the host, feeding on them, causing death.

• Prey on cutworms, tent caterpillars, sawflies, cabbage loopers, gypsy moth caterpillars.

• One female can lay up to 6,000 eggs.

• Can go through a complete lifecycle in 3 weeks!

Things to Consider

A mixture of flowering plants that produce nectar and pollen will draw in the most diversity.

• Small, shallow flowers attract small bees, flies and wasps. Larger, deeper flowers tend to attract honey bees and bumble bees.

• Avoid plants with double flowers – they are too hard to access.

• Don’t select plants that are “pollen free” (certain sunflowers) – they won’t feed the insects!

• Plan for a full season of flowering – insects are active from early spring through late fall.

• Minimize pesticides and avoid applications when plants are in bloom.

• Unbarked firewood, bolts of wood, or nesting tubes can be used to attract and maintain solitary bees.

Things to Consider, cont.

Water – can provide by filling shallow tray with sticks and water or mud.

• Similar to butterfly “puddling”, uptake minerals and salts.

• Change frequently to prevent mosquitoes from breeding.

POWER PLANTS

• Honey bees: Garden Plants for Honey Bees, Peter Lindtner.• University of Delaware, conducted studies of pollen

grains from beehives.

• Ranked honey bee attractive plants from 1 star (good) to five star (terrific).

• Keep in mind that if other resources are unavailable, a 1 star plant can quickly become a 2!

• Native bees and beneficials: variety of sources, including University of Delaware, University of Maryland, and Penn State Extension’s Pollinator Trial Results 2013.

Spring

Trees & ShrubsOregon Grapeholly

Mahonia aquifolium• Native evergreen shrub 3 – 6’.

• 1 star nectar, 2 star pollen source for honey bees; bumble bees also visit.

• Fragrant yellow flowers in March, blue fruit in summer.

• Good for shady areas; moist, well-drained, acid soil.

• Severe winter wind damage.

Leatherleaf Mahonia

Mahonia bealei• More structural, less wind

damage.

• Flowers/fruits earlier – Jan/Feb, so even more crucial for early season nectar.

Jan 7, 2012!

Trees & Shrubs, cont.

Trees & Shrubs

Cornelian Cherry Cornus mas

• Native, large shrub/small tree, multi or single stemmed, 12 – 15’.

• 2 star nectar and pollen source for honey bees.

• Bumble and other native bees also visit.

• Blooms in March, for 3 weeks.

• Sun to part shade, adaptable to soil types/pH.

Trees & Shrubs

Red Maple Acer rubrum

• Blooms March; although wind-pollinated, profuse early season flowers present nectar for bees when few other plants are blooming.

• Native, 40-50’, Sun to part shade, tolerates wide range of soils.

• 3 star nectar and pollen source for honey bees.

• Good for mason, mining, plaster, and sweat bees; hover flies.

Courtesy Raemelton Farm

Trees & Shrubs

Ornamental Cherry Prunus ‘Okame’

• Blooms April, 15 – 25’.

• 4 star nectar, 2 star pollen source for honey bees; bumble bees also visit.

• Full sun to part shade, soil tolerant, somewhat drought tolerant after established.

Courtesy Raemelton Farm

Courtesy Raemelton Farm

Trees & Shrubs

Pussy Willow Salix caprea

• Large shrub/small tree, 10-20’.

• Blooms in March.

• 2 star nectar, 4 star pollen source for honey bees.

• Bumble, mining and sweat bees; wasps, syrphid and tachinid flies also visit.

• Sun to part shade, moist/wet areas.

Trees & ShrubsDowny Serviceberry

Amelanchier arborea

Shadblow Serviceberry

Amelanchier canadensis• Native, multi-stemmed large

shrub/small tree, 6 – 20’.

• Blooms March/April.

• 1 star nectar and pollen source for honey bees.

• Good for spring mining, and sweat bees, also hover and tachinid flies.

• Red berry June/July, moist or dry soils, full sun to part shade.

• Soil adaptable, sun to part shade.

Trees & ShrubsAllegheny Serviceberry Amelanchier laevis

• Native small tree 15 –25’.

• Blooms a bit later.

• Berries are blue-black when ripe and were eaten by Native Americans.

• Many different hybrids and cultivars available.

Trees & Shrubs

Flowering Quince Chaenomeles speciosa‘Toyo-Nishiki’

• Dense, thorny shrub, 6-10’.

• Blooms for 2-3 weeks in April.

• 3 star nectar source and 2 star pollen source for honey bees; bumble bees also visit.

• Sun to part shade, drought tolerant, soil adaptable.

Trees & Shrubs

Japanese Kerria Kerria japonica

• 3-6’, slender green stems.

• Blooms April.

• 1 star nectar and pollen source for honey bees; bumble bees also visit.

• Partial to full shade, deer resistant, tolerant of dry and wet soils.

Trees & Shrubs

Zumi Crabapple

Malus zumi ‘Calocarpa’

• Blooms April/early May.

• 4 star nectar, 3 star pollen source for honey bees.

• Bumble, digger, and sweat bees also visit.

• 12-20’ tall, full sun, resistant to rust, scab, and powdery mildew.

Trees & Shrubs

Prairiefire Crabapple

Malus ‘Prairiefire’

• Blooms April/early May.

• 15-20’; pink flowers, reddish leaves.

• Fireblight, scab, powdery mildew, and rust resistant.

Trees & Shrubs

Pink Princess Crabapple

Malus ‘Parrsi’

• Natural dwarf, 8’; low spreading.

• Blooms April/early May.

• Excellent disease resistance!

Trees & Shrubs

American Holly Ilex opaca

• Native evergreen to 40’.

• 3 star nectar and pollen source for honey bees; bumble bees, wasps and flies also visit.

• Blooms May.

• Separate male and female plants – use 1 male for every 2 – 3 females (nectar in both).

• Sun to part shade in well drained, acid soil.

• ‘Maryland Dwarf’ – 3’ tall x 10’ wide.

Trees & ShrubsHighbush Blueberry

Vaccinium corymbosum

• Native shrub 6 – 12’.

• 3 star nectar and pollen source for honey bees.

• Excellent for bumble, mason, plasterer, and mining bees; hover flies.

• May flowers are “buzz-pollinated” by bumble bees.

• Full sun to part shade;moist, high-organic, acidic soil.

Trees & ShrubsLowbush Blueberry

Vaccinium angustifolium

• Native, low growing groundcover shrub.

• 12 – 24”, spreading via roots.

• Very tolerant of dry soil.

Trees & ShrubsAmerican Elderberry

Sambucus canadensis

• Native, dense, twiggy, large shrub 5 – 12’.

• 1 star nectar, 2 star pollen source for honey bees.

• Good for little carpenter and sweat bees; syrphids flies.

• Flowers May-June, blue fruit Aug/Sep.

• Found in hedgerows, along stream banks.

• Dry to wet soils, sun to part shade, spreads by root suckers to form colony.

Trees & Shrubs

European Elderberry

Sambucus nigra Black Lace™

•Purplish-black foliage, pink flowers, blackish-red fall berries, 8 x 6’.

•Full sun for best color.

•Non-suckering, blooms a little earlier than native.

•Both species are good nest site for little carpenter and mason bees, which tunnel into soft pith of broken stems.

Trees & ShrubsHawthorns

Crataegus species• Resistant selections from native species.

• Bloom May-June.

• 3 star nectar and pollen source for honey bees.

• Good for bumble, mining, sweat bees; hover flies and predatory wasps.

• Tolerate a wide range of sites and adverse conditions; spring planting in full sun recommended.

Crusader Hawthorn - C. ‘Cruzam’

• 15-20’ x 20-25’; pollution tolerant, disease resistant, very few thorns.

Washington Hawthorn - C. ‘Winter King’

• 25-30’ x 20-30’; a bit broader and

slower growing than ‘Cruzam’.

Trees & Shrubs Crimson Cloud English Hawthorn

Crataeguslaevigata ‘Superba’

• 20’ x 15 – 25’ wide.

• Blooms in May.

• Tolerates drought, occasionally wet soils, adaptable to many soil types/pHs.

• Disease resistant.

Trees & Shrubs

Oakleaf Hydrangea Hydrangea quercifolia

• Native shrub, 4 – 8’.

• Blooms May – July.

• 3 star nectar and pollen source for honey bees.

• Bumble bees and syrphid flies also visit.

• Sun to part shade, well-drained soil; fairly tolerant of dry soil.

• Beautiful burgundy fall color.

Trees & Shrubs

Black Tupelo, BlackgumNyssa sylvatica

• Native tree, 30-50’.

• Non-showy blooms May-June.

• 4 star nectar, 2 star pollen source for honey bees.

• A survey of insects visiting blackgum blossoms in Maryland found 46 bee species, including bumble, leaf-cutter, mining, plaster, and sweat bees!

• Sun to part shade, dry to wet soil, beautiful orange-red fall color.

Courtesy Raemelton Farm

Perennials

Stinking Hellebore Helleborus foetidus

• Blooms Feb – April, 1 – 3’.

• 3 star nectar and pollen source; bumble bees also visit.

• Of all hellebores, this species most visited by honey bees.

• Evergreen leaves, deer resistant, grow in humusy soil in partial to full shade.

Perennials

Spiderwort Tradescantia virginiana

• Native, 2 – 4’.

• 3 star nectar and pollen source for honey bees.

• Bumble bees, sweat bees, and syrphid flies also visit.

• Blooms May – June, partial to full shade, average soil.

• Can cut back after blooming to encourage a fall bloom.

BulbsSnowdrop Galanthus nivalis

• Blooms Jan – Feb.

• 2 star nectar, 3 star pollen source for honey bees; bumble bees also visit.

Winter Aconite Eranthis hyemalis

• Blooms Jan – Feb.

• 3 star nectar and pollen; bumblebees also visit.

Crocus species

• Blooms Feb-March.

• 2 star nectar, 3 star pollen; bumble bees also visit.

Summer

Trees & Shrubs Winterberry Holly Ilex verticillata

• Native, deciduous, dense/twiggy shrub 3 –10’.

• Blooms in June.

• 4 star nectar and pollen source for honey bees.

• Bumble, and mining bees and flies also visit.

• Native to swampy areas, prefers acidic (4.5 - 6.5) high organic matter soils in sun to part shade.

Trees & Shrubs Purple Beautyberry Callicarpa dichotoma

• Arching, 3 – 4’ shrub.

• 4 star nectar, 1 star pollen source for honey bees; bumble and sweat bees also visit.

• Pretty habit with striking berries in the fall.

• Smaller and more refined than native.

American Beautyberry Callicarpa americana

• Coarse native shrub, 3 – 8’.

• Both bloom in June; do well in sun to part shade, average soil.

Trees & Shrubs

Little-leaf Linden Tilia cordata

• 50 – 70’.

• Blooms in June.

• 5 star nectar, 3 star pollen source for honey bees; bumblebees also visit.

• Full sun to part shade, soil adaptable, drought tolerant.

• Tilia tomentosa reportedly slightly toxic to bumblebees, not honey bees.

Trees & Shrubs

Sourwood Oxydendrum arboretum

• Native tree, 20 – 50’.

• Blooms in July.

• 4 star nectar, 2 star pollen source for honey bees; native bees also visit.

• Sun to part shade, moist, rich, acidic soil (like rhododendron).

• Beautiful red fall color.

Trees & ShrubsSummersweetClethra alnifolia

• Native shrub, 3-8’.

• 3 star nectar, 2 star pollen source for honey bees.

• Bumble and sweat bees; wasps, hover and tachnid flies, beetles, also visit.

• Blooms July –September.

• Full sun to heavy shade, wet to average soil.

PerennialsTickseed Coreopsis species

• C. verticillata ‘Zagreb’ - more visits than species!• 24 species of bees/syrphids.

• Blooms May – June; 1 – 1.5’.

• C. lanceolata• 13 bees/syrphids.

• Blooms May – July, 1 – 2’.

• C. rosea• 12 bees/syrphids.

• Blooms June – Sept, 1.5 – 2.5’.

• 1 star nectar and pollen source for honey bees.

• Like full sun; average to dry soil except rosea, which needs consistently moist soil.

Perennials

Obedient Plant Physostegia virginiana

• Native, 3-4’.

• Blooms June – September.

• 1 star nectar and pollen source for honey bees.

• Bumble bees also visit flowers.

• Sun to part shade, average soil, deer resistant.

Perennials

Swamp Milkweed Asclepias incarnata

• Native to moist/wet areas, pink blooms June – Aug, 2 – 4’.

• 3 star nectar, 2 star pollen source for honey bees.

• Bumble, long-horn, plasterer and sweat bees visit flowers.

• Lacewings, lady and soldier beetles, tachinid flies, minute pirate bugs, parasitic and predatory wasps visit.

• Full sun, pretty tolerant of drier conditions.

Jennifer Anderson

Perennials

Butterfly Weed Asclepias tuberosa

• Native, 2-3’.

• Blooms July –September.

• 3 star nectar, 2 star pollen source for honey bees.

• Digger, leaf-cutter, and sweat bees; wasps also visit.

• Full sun, dry poor soil.

PerennialsScarlet BeebalmM. didyma

• Native; good in wet/rich soil.

Wild Bergamot Monarda fistulosa

• Native to dry/poor soil areas.

• Blooms July – Aug, 2 – 3’.

• Both like sun to part shade.

• 2 star nectar, 1 star pollen source for honey bees.

• Bumble, digger, mason, leaf-cutter, long-horned and sweat bees; predatory and parasitic wasps, hover flies, and soldier beetles all visit.

• M. x ‘Peter’s Fancy Fuchsia’ – had second-highest counts.

• Monarda d. ‘Jacob Cline’ – least number of visits.

PerennialsAmerican Mountain Mint Pycnanthemum virginianum

• Native, 2 – 3’.

Clustered Mountain Mint Pycnanthemum muticum

• Native, 1 – 3’.

• Blooms July – September, full sun to part shade, average soil.

• 3 star nectar, 2 star pollen source for honey bees.

• Bumble, cuckoo, and sweat bees; tachinid and hover flies, wasps, and beetles visit.

• Highest number of insect visitors in Penn State Extension Pollinator trial –51 insects observed in 2 minutes!

PerennialsJoe-Pye Weed Eutrochiumpurpureum (Eupatorium purpureum)

• Native, 4 – 8’.

• 2 star nectar and pollen source for honey bees.

• Bumble, carpenter, leaf-cutter, and longhornedbees; wasps.

• Blooms August -September.

• Sun to part shade, moist soil, but fairly tolerant.

E. dubium ‘Little Joe’ – a smaller form, 3’.

PerennialsBlack-eyed Susan Rudbeckia species

• Native, blooms June to October.

• Many varieties available from 1’ –3’ or taller.

• 1 star nectar and pollen source for honey bees.

• Mason, bumble, mining, sweat, and leaf-cutter bees visit the flowers.

• Predatory plant bugs, lady beetles, hover and tachinid flies, predatory and parasitic wasps visit.

• Likes hot, sunny, dry situations.

Annuals Tickseed Coreopsis tinctoria

• Native, 2 – 3’.

• 1 star nectar and pollen source for honey bees.

• Long and short tongued bees, wasps, flies, and beetles also visit.

• Blooms June -September.

• Likes hot, dry, average soils in full sun.

Annuals

Cosmos

C. bipinnatus – Cool, to 5’.

C. sulphureus – Hot to 3’.

• Both 1 star nectar and pollen sources for honey bees.

• Bumble bees, lacewings, hover flies, parasitic wasps.

• Bloom June to frost.

• Both like full sun, average to dry soil.

AnnualsJuly 22

Annuals

July 21

October 17

Annuals

Indian Blanket Gaillardia pulchella

• Native, 1 – 1.5’.

• Blooms June to frost.

• 2 star nectar and 1 star pollen source for honey bees; native bees, lady beetles, lacewings, hover flies also visit.

• Full sun, dry poor soil.

Fall

Trees & Shrubs

Seven-Son Flower Heptacodium miconoides

• Large multi-stemmed shrub or small single stem tree, 15-20’.

• 3 star nectar and pollen source for honey bees; bumble and mason bees also visit.

• Blooms late August through September, each whorl containing 7 tiny flowers, sepal clusters remain and turn purple-red.

• Sun to part shade, soil adaptable, drought tolerant.

Courtesy Raemelton Farm

Trees & Shrubs

Glossy AbeliaAbelia x grandiflora

• Semi-evergreen shrub, 3 – 6’ tall.

• Blooms June until frost.

• 3 star nectar, 2 star pollen for honey bees*; bumble bees also visit.

• Full sun to half shade, soil adaptable, drought tolerant.

Perennials

Sedum

• 3 star nectar, 3 star pollen source for honey bees.

• Bumble bees, hover flies, parasitic wasps also visit.

• Bloom summer to fall, depending on species.

• Full sun to part shade, average to dry soil.

• Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’: 1 –2’ tall, blooms Sept. – Oct.

Perennials

New England Aster Symphyotrichcum novae- angliae(Aster novae-angliae)

• Native, purple flowers in fall, 2 –6’, full to part sun.

• 2 star nectar and pollen source for honey bees; bumble, leaf-cutter, long-horned, mining, and sweat bees, hover flies, lady beetles, parasitic wasps and minute pirate bugs also visit.

• Aster ‘Purple Dome’ – worst in the trial, very few insect visits!

• Smooth Aster Symphyotrichcumlaeve ‘Bluebird’ – in top 5 for sheer # of bee/syrphids visits in Penn State trials.

PerennialsGoldenrod Solidago species (Oligoneuron spp.)

• Native, 12” – 4’, depending on species/cultivars.

• Blooms late summer to fall.

• Late season nectar and pollen source for honey, bumble, leaf-cutter, long-horned, mason, mining, and sweat bees.

• Good attractiveness for hover flies, tachinid flies, lady beetles; predatory and parasitic wasps.

• S. rugosa ‘Fireworks’ – 4 star nectar, 3 star pollen; other species/cultivars 2 star.

• Sun to part shade, well drained soil.

‘Crown of Rays’‘Crown of Rays’

Perennials

PerennialsOne day in September…

November 17th!

Perennials Maximilian Sunflower

Helianthus maximiliani

• Native, 4 – 10’.

• 2 star nectar, 3 star pollen source for honey bees.

• Bumble, digger, leafcutter, sweat and plaster bees; soldier beetles, wasps, lacewings, lady beetles, and hover flies also visit.

• Likes full sun, average soil, starts to bloom in October and continues until frost!

PerennialsOne day in October

PerennialsGold and Silver Chrysanthemum Ajania pacifica(Chrysanthemum pacificum).

• Blooms Oct - Nov, 1.5 – 2’.

• 3 star nectar and pollen source for honey bees; bumble bees, hover flies, and lady beetles.

• Sun to part shade, average soil, may die if wet in winter.

Bulbs Ornamental Onion Allium species

• 1 – 2’.

• 3 star nectar, 2 star pollen source for honey bees.

• Bumble, digger, and sweat bees; hover flies also visit

• Blooms spring to fall, depending on the species.

• Full sun, drought tolerant, deer resistant.

Allium senescens

Allium tuberosum

Resources• Garden Plants for Honey Bees, 2014 Wicwas Press, Peter Lindtner.

• Cornell University – Biological Control, a Guide to Natural Enemies in North America: http://www.biocontrol.entomology.cornell.edu/index.php

• USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service – Ecology of Key Native Beneficial Insects and the Targeted Pests they Control: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/nrcs144p2_066529.pdf

• Delaware Department of Agriculture – Delaware Native Plants for Native Bees: http://dda.delaware.gov/plantind/forms/publications/Delaware%20Native%20Plants%20for%20Native%20Bees.pdf

• USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service – Pollinator-Friendly Plants for the Northeast United States: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_PLANTMATERIALS/publications/nypmctn11164.pdf

• North American Pollinator Protection Campaign – Pollinator Friendly Planting Guides: https://pollinator.org/guides.htm

• Penn State Extension’s Pollinator Trial Results 2013: http://extension.psu.edu/plants/master-gardener/counties/lancaster/pollinator-friendly-garden-certification/2013-pollinator-trial-results

• University of Maryland vanEngelsdorp Honey Bee Lab: http://www.vanengelsdorpbeelab.com/

• Bee Informed Partnership: http://beeinformed.org/

• Mid-Atlantic Apiculture Research and Extension Consortium: http://agdev.anr.udel.edu/maarec/

Questions? Email: hortlady@aol.com