I have been in the dirt a lot these days. Digging for the sake of digging, clearing weeds, poking and prodding, and planting, of course. As the dirt has accumulated under my nails, my mind has wandered to our pollinators.
Since the gardening gene poked its way to the surface, my view of bees has shifted. I have come to better understand their role in my garden and have even learned to work along side them in close quarters. The connection is an important one, because the need to protect their existence has become personal.
It’s why I spent this weekend thinking about what I am planting this year that will make the pollinators happy. (It was also my convenient excuse to not mow down those dandelions just yet!)
So let’s talk about bees. Yes, sometimes they sting and their humming buzz can be a little unnerving if you aren’t exactly sure from where the sound is coming. But when you consider their critical role to our food supply, these are minor details. Bees are the primary pollinator for about one-third of the types of crops produced in the United States.
Unfortunately, as you have likely heard, they are in trouble. Research suggests one of the contributors to Colony Collapse Disorder (when bees abandon their hives) is the use of herbicides, fungicides and pesticides—neonicotinoids, in particular.
A report set to appear next month in the Bulletin of Insectology from the Harvard School of Public Health is the most recent study connecting the decline of honey bees and a neonicotinoid called imidacloprid.
The good news: There are two positive steps we can take to protect our pollinators.
Choose a better pesticide
If you use pesticides in your yard or garden, choose one that does not include a neonicotinoid. This is a tall order for non-organic gardeners. According to Friends of the Earth, there are about 300 insecticide products that contain a neonicotinoid.
Pesticides labeled as “systemic” are a red flag to read the ingredients and to look for acetamiprid, clothianidin, dinotefuran, imidacloprid, thiacloprid, or thiamethoxam on the list.
You can learn more here. This list, too, from The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation: Neonicotinoid Garden Products Used in the United States.
Now that we have touched on what not to use, here are some resources for learning more about what you can use.
Personally speaking, I was lucky last season and only had some Japanese beetles, tomato horn worms and a few cabbage worms to fend off. I managed to get by with a pair of chopsticks (for the horn worms), a bucket of (eco-friendly) soapy water and many evenings in the garden stalking the pests.
This year I am taking preventive action by rotating my crops and getting that bucket ready.
But what about when the pests begin to take over?
Xerces offers a useful chart that breaks down organic-approved pesticides based on its level of toxicity to bees. Garlic and kaolin clay are two of the non-toxic options. Boric acid, limonene, and neem present a low risk to bees. The last two should be applied at night when bees are inactive.
Included in the list of pesticides that are highly toxic to bees are diatomaceous earth, insecticidal soap and horticultural oil. Learn more here.
And when you apply, Xerces also recommends:
- Stay on target- apply only where needed and minimize the amount of pesticide drifting to other parts of the garden
- Apply on a day with calm winds
- If possible, apply when the crop is not in bloom.
- If you have to apply when the crop is in bloom, apply late in the evening when bees have stopped foraging for the day.
- Apply on a dry day; pesticide residues can stay around longer in dewy conditions
Choose plants to attract pollinators
There are a variety of great lists out there suggesting plants that bring in the bees. Here I am primarily providing suggestions from the University of Maine to keep it local.
UMaine’s list includes no invasive exotic species and many are Maine natives. It is broken down by timing (early, mid and late season), the type of plant, and whether it provides nectar, pollen or both.
Click here for the full list. What follows are highlights.
This time of year, let your crocuses, daffodils, tulips, snowdrops and (sorry to those of you who love a perfectly manicured lawn) dandelions thrive.
As we move into June and you are planting your herb garden be sure to include chives, oregano, creeping thyme, sage and rosemary. Evening primrose, lamb’s ear and red clover are also on the list, as is the aptly named bee balm. I planted this bee-friendly, minty-smelling perennial this weekend by the chicken coop.
When the summer wanes, it’s the aster, goldenrod, meadowsweet and, yes, the dandelion that will keep the bees happy.
Whatever you decide, ask the store manager whether the plant has been pre-treated with a neonicotinoid pesticide. Home Depot and Lowes, for example, sell pre-treated plants (including those that are promoted as “bee-friendly); some smaller nurseries do, too.
Okay, so there’s a third step you can take
Get involved! Use your voice! Friends of the Earth, for example, has been sponsoring periodic events in support of bee health, including a large-scale continuing action against the aforementioned Home Depot and Lowes for both selling neonicotinoid pesticides and those pre-treated plants.
Or, if signing petitions or joining protests aren’t for you, just start a conversation the next time you are in a garden store.
For a second example… This weekend I had a long conversation with an owner of one of our local nurseries. I was surprised to learn he was treating many of his plants with neonicotinoid pesticides. I had, foolishly, believed that this was a problem primarily with the big box stores. He was well informed about the issues and so my second surprise came when he said he has wanted to switch to biological pest control for about three years now. Biological control includes using natural predators to battle insect pests.
“What’s stopping you,” I asked? His response was almost as troubling as his choice in pesticides. I am paraphrasing here, but essentially he told me it’s a complex process and he needs help—it’s not something he can just figure out on his own—and help has been hard to come by. It was the start of a conversation that needs further probing, and echoes the frustrations of farmers trying to navigate (and afford) the organic certification process.
There will be more trips to the local garden stores in the weeks to come and, with pollinators in mind, I will keep the dialogue going.
-Jesse Nankin
Eco-Maineia 