Habitat Needs of Pollinators
All the pollinators you just learned about need the right habitat to survive and thrive. When planning a pollinator garden, you’ll want to create a suitable environment, including food, shelter, water and careful pesticide usage.
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Flowers provide nectar and pollen that pollinators eat to survive. Fallen fruits are also eaten by bees, beetles and butterflies. Some plants provide food for pollinator larvae, such as butterflies. Here are some food tips for your garden:
- Plant in groups: this allows the pollinator to visit the same type of flower repeatedly, without having to relearn how to enter the flower and removes the risk of pollen being transferred to unreceptive flowers
- Plant flowers with overlapping bloom times to support pollinators from spring through fall
- Keep diversity in mind: a diversity of plants will support a diversity of pollinators
- Herbs like mint, oregano, garlic, and parsley are beneficial to pollinators
- Some weeds, such as dandelions and milkweed, are a good source of food for pollinators
Shelter provides protection from weather and predators, and gives pollinators areas to nest and roost. Implement these practices to ensure pollinators are sheltered in your garden:
- Incorporate different canopy layers by planting trees, shrubs and plants of varying sizes
- Leave dead plants and leaves for pollinators to use as nesting sites and shelter
- Avoid thick layers of mulch that are hard to dig through
- Invite solitary, non-aggressive bees to nest in your garden by building bee boxes
- Lawns and short grass attract ground nesting bees
- Leave areas of soil uncovered so ground nesting insects have easy access to underground tunnels
- Keep plants grouped together so pollinators have safe access around the landscape
- Include plants that butterflies need for larval development
Pollinators need a clean, reliable source of water. Take a look at some ways you can provide water for them!
- Include running water, pools, ponds and small containers of water for drinking and bathing
- Make sure water sources have a shallow or sloping side to prevent pollinators from drowning
Most pesticides are toxic and can be lethal to pollinators. Using pesticides wisely can ultimately save money and reduce the risk to pollinators.
If at all possible, try to avoid pesticides entirely:
- Plant rotation and diversity can help reduce pest outbreaks
- Scout for pests to determine whether or not the level of pest damage will exceed the cost of applying a pesticide
We know that using pesticides may be the best option to save your plants. Here’s how to use them wisely:
- Choose pesticides that are less likely to cause lethal effects in pollinators
- Apply pesticides at night when pollinators are in their nests
- Apply pesticides on the ground instead of spraying them in the air
- Try not to use pesticides during a bloom period
- When choosing organic pesticides, keep in mind that some can still be harmful to pollinators