When a honeybee buzzes the blooms in your garden, give the insect some respect. The U.S. Department of Agriculture credits honeybee pollination as supplying eighty percent of all food eaten in the United States. In the U.S., honeybee pollination provides a $20-billion boost to agriculture. The power of the honeybee in agriculture production has been recognized since the introduction of honeybees from Europe in 1622.

Honeybee contributions are everywhere. Before a flower can set seed or form fruit, it needs to be pollinated. Bats, birds, butterflies, moths and wasps pollinate plants, but honeybees do most of the work.

Honeybees pollinate fruits and vegetables in the garden. In fact, one bee may visit 10 to 15 blossoms a minute; up to 5,000 blossoms per day. While that may not seem like a large number, consider the fact honeybees visit two million blossoms to make one pound of honey. In addition, a single worker honeybee only gathers one-half teaspoon of honey throughout his short lifetime.

Honeybees visit plants to collect both pollen and nectar to use as food. They use pollen as a protein source for rearing baby bees. Nectar is stored in the hive as honey as the primary energy source. Human use of golden honey covers warm biscuits, slathers cornbread, and contains energy-boosting sugars and comforts the soul. Honey is a constant reminder of nature’s ability to achieve perfection.

Unfortunately, honeybee populations are in serious trouble. Their numbers are in sharp decline, mainly because of shrinking habitat from urban development and growth of cities that depletes forage. Beekeepers have to face problems from two kinds of honeybee mites, as well as bee deaths from careless or inappropriate use of pesticides, insecticides and herbicides.

Pesticides can harm or kill honeybees and beneficial insects as well as pests. Gardeners can encourage natural pest control from beneficial insects such as spiders and ladybugs, especially when plants are in bloom. When pesticides are used, appropriate use is essential—honeybees can die after feeding on chemically-treated weeds. Read pesticide labels carefully, use only as needed, and choose problem-specific products.

Gardeners everywhere need to take care of bees. A small colony of honeybees can nestle very comfortable into one end of a garden. In addition to having a dependable, ready source of honeybees for pollination purposes, the gardener has the bonus of fresh honey and the fascination of a new hobby.

Honeybees are the last livestock in cities and suburbs. Garden honeybee hives quietly increase vegetable and fruit production. While neighbors may ask many honeybee questions, having a bee hive creates enthusiasm and excitement that may initiate a BEEport Daily News. Imagine a scenario where across the alley is a BEEcam where Buzz, the friendly BEEporter, keeps track of what the fast-moving insects are busy with in their garden.

Creating a bee garden is more than “horticultural chic.” Bee gardens are becoming necessary. The garden can be a window box, a few pots, or even a large field of plants. No matter what the size, gardens are valuable to pollinators. Planting a variety of plants, with a succession of blooms, from early spring until fall, provides honeybee nourishment throughout the growing season.

When choosing which plants to use, avoid plants described as “double.” Usually, this refers to plants that develop extra petals instead of anthers (they hold the pollen) and have little or no pollen for bees. Common “double” flowers include marigolds, mums and roses. However, each of these flowers also have single-flower varieties. Honeybees are attracted to blue, purple and yellow colors, and favor flowers that smell spicy and sweet.

Tall plants with landing platforms such as sunflowers, zinnias, goldenrod, cleome, and bee balm have more pollen and nectar than highly developed hybrids. Honeybees also like climbing vines such as scarlet runner beans, sweet peas, scarlet trumpet honeysuckle, clematis or Silver Lace growing up a fence, trellis or along a deck railing.

The relationship between honeybees and gardens is symbiotic. The bees need the garden to create honey, and the garden needs the bees to flourish because of the pollination they provide. The honeybee allows gardeners to share their workspace, and gardeners benefit by having beautiful flowers.

Photo: author Charleen Barr checks out the comb building progress in her two backyard beehives. She is a member of the Northern Colorado Bee Association.

The authors have received training through Colorado State University Cooperative Extension's Master Gardener program and is a Master Gardener volunteer for Larimer County.

Gardening and Insect Fact Sheets are available on-line by clicking HERE.

Return to Master Gardener Articles

This page updated:  July 12, 2006