Bee Season
As ornamental plants have predictable flowering seasons so too do bees have cyclical flight and nesting seasons. The bumble bee is a good example of one of several bee species that flourish in spring and early summer and become less visible as the season goes on. Well into summer, the hot months bring anthophorid bees and large leaf cutter bees.
Flowering plants also have a predictable timetable. For example in the San Francisco Bay area, many gardeners plan around the different seasons for some plants to bloom in the spring, others in the summer and still others in the fall. Learning how to plan for continuous blooming of flowers will bring a procession of seasonal bees to your garden for your viewing pleasure.
Many people are not aware of different bee seasons because the ubiquitous honey bee is the common standard for almost everyone. Since the bumble bee is present for most of the flower blooming period, we have a tendency to lump all bees into that category. Knowing what to look for at the proper time will dramatically enhance your gardening experience.
Of course, flowers bloom on a set pattern in nature. Some bloom early in the year and others are ‘late-bloomers’, preferring the cooler days of late summer. For instance, Ceanothus, a type of wild lilac, blooms in the spring while sunflowers and Cosmos flourish with flowers in the summer. You can set your ‘botanical watch’ to the predictable cycle.
The same type of seasonal pattern is also seen in bee populations. Seasonal patterns of bees and flowers are often synchronized by nature. As the warm spring sun begins the growth cycle of flowering plants, it also alerts bees to awaken from their winter slumber. Similarly, plants are designed to bloom most at the time when the best pollinators are around. Native bee and flowering populations in California have evolved with their timing to coincide.
North America has several native megachilid species of bees. The most significant native species is Osmia lignaria or more commonly known as the Orchard Mason Bee or "Blue Orchard Bee. Megachilid bees are among the world's most efficient pollinators because of their energetic movement within the reproductive structures of flowers. This action spreads pollen, the life blood of pollination. These bees are sold and used commercially for use in orchard crop pollination. Wooden boxes with holes drilled through provide ample nesting spots while the bees give a better quality of crop.
In the spring, two types of bees are commonly found visiting several spring ornamentals such as California poppies from the genus Osmia. However, the Alfalfa leafcutter bees (Megachile rotundata) are imported to California for the purpose of aiding pollination primarily in orchards. These imports are andrenid bees of the genus Andrena (all black or a combination of buff and black. Typically, these two genera cannot be found after the first of July. Bumble bees of the genus Bombus are also present primarily during spring and early summer to feast on a wide variety of ornamental plants.
In summer several other megachilid species (non-Osmia) can be seen in urban gardens. Some of these species are the size of honey bees and like several types of ornamental plants. All of these summer megachilids have black and white bands on the abdomen as compared with the blue Osmia seen in spring which has shiny green and blue coloring..
The anthophorid genus Melissodes is a common type of bee during the summer and early fall. The female has a round shape and is hairy and she often prefers plants like Cosmos, Gaillardia, and sunflowers from which pollen and nectar rich. Males on the other hand are longer with slender bodies and have very long antennae. Males also visit Cosmos and sunflowers but only for nectar.
Agapostemon texana of the family Halictidae is another summer and early fall bee. It is sometimes found in the San Francisco Bay area and the remarkable color differences between males and females makes them worthwhile to search for in your garden. Males are easy to tell from females as males are metallic green in the thorax, with a striped yellow and black abdomen. Females have just the metallic green thorax and abdomen. Cosmos, Gum Weed and Bidens ferliflora are favorites of these bees.
California bee species are found in distinct seasonal patterns while honey bees can be found commonly year round on many different flowering plants.
You can bring nature’s harmony to your garden by planting flowering plants that will bloom with the seasons and which will attract the magnificent bee.
