There is a substantial decline in pollinators. If you own a garden or building one, creating a pollinator garden is essential for growing fruits, vegetables, and flowers.
Creating a pollinator garden is a simple process. Get to know your local pollinators. Plant pollen and nectar-producing plants attract pollinators such as bees, bumblebees, hoverflies, moths, butterflies, beetles, and other pollinating insects. Provide them with shelter and nesting sites.
Pollinators are an integral part of our ecosystem and our food supply. Pollinators are essential for the reproduction of most flowering plants, including fruits, vegetables, nuts, and flowers. They are responsible for cross-pollination, which increases the variety of food available to humans.
Without the help of pollinators, the pollination of fruits and vegetables would be very complicated. Some flowers can be pollinated with the help of wind. However, not all. With the absence of pollinators, you would have to take a small brush and touch each individual flower… One by one… Multiple times… And hope that this will work. This is not a fun process, trust me!
In this article, you will learn about the best pollinators, the best plants for a pollinator garden, and how to create a pollinator-friendly landscape.
So let’s jump right in:
- How to Create a Pollinator Garden
- Best Pollinators
- Best Plants for a Pollinator Garden
- Benefits of Pollinator Garden
How to Create a Pollinator Garden
A pollinator garden is an area that is intentionally created to attract and support native pollinators.
Pollinator gardens provide an opportunity to bring pollinators closer to where they are needed most. This will provide a habitat for these beneficial insects and increase their numbers. A pollinator garden can be as big as the whole yard or small as one raised bed.
Here are a few tips that will help you in creating a successful pollinator garden.
Pollinators love native plants. Pollinators are more familiar with the native varieties of flowers. So, learn about the native plants of your area and include them in your pollinator garden. Add daytime blooming flowers for daytime fliers and nighttime blooming flowers for night fliers.
Avoid planting “double-flowered” plants. “Double flowered” plants are varieties of flowers that have an abundant number of petals. Due to the number of petals, pollinators cannot reach the center of the flower, where the pollen and nectar are found. These are popular varieties of roses, camellias, carnations, and many more.
Plant flowering shrubs. Flowering shrubs have an abundant amount of flowers. So, planting flowering shrubs will attract pollinators, birds, and other beneficial insects. These flowering shrubs are also great for privacy and windbreak.
Eliminate Pesticide use. Pesticides can kill the beneficial insects of your garden alongside pests. Avoid using pesticides if you are planning to welcome pollinators. But, if necessary, use the least toxic chemical.
Keep some of your garden untidy. A garden with some weeds (nettles, thistles, daisies, dandelions), slightly taller grass than usual, and plenty of clovers will attract bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects. A well-maintained and short lawn has the least attraction to pollinators. So, limit grass mowing, or mow the grass in sections.
Introduce larval host plants. Add plants for caterpillars to eat. Some leaves will get eaten, but most plants can handle a few caterpillars. Also, this is a natural process of a pollinator garden.
Provide nesting sites for pollinators. If you want pollinators to make a permanent residence in your garden, provide them with nesting sites. Dead trees or branches can serve as nesting sites for bees. In your pollinator garden, you can also place ready-made nests like bee hotels or insect hotels for native pollinators.
Mix early and late blooming varieties. To ensure a continuous supply of nectar, plant early and late-blooming plant varieties. This way, pollinators will keep visiting your garden throughout the growing season.
Leave some soil exposed for solitary bees. Many species of bees are solitary nesters. Solitary bees do not live in colonies, but they tend to live close to one another. They make holes in the ground or use dead trees and insect hotels as their nesting sites. If you cover every inch of ground with mulch, there’ll be no space for these solitary nesters. So, avoid mulching everywhere, and leave some of the soil exposed for the homes of these solitary nesters.
Identify your native species. For a better understanding, try to recognize the species of pollinators that are visiting your garden. It will be a real game changer if you add species-specific plants to your pollinator garden.
Best Pollinators
A pollinator is an animal or insect that moves pollen from one flower to another. Among all the pollinators, these are the best:
Solitary bees
Solitary bees are non-aggressive and social bee species. These pollinators do not live in colonies but tend to live close to one another. Solitary bees make holes in the ground or use dead trees and insect hotels as their nesting sites. They do not produce honey and have no queen, meaning they have nothing to protect (just their own life). Therefore, they are not aggressive. Some solitary bee species are the Mining bee, Leafcutter bee, Mason bee, Carpenter bee, Alkali bee, and Sweat bee. [1]
Bumblebees
They are much bigger than other bee species. These super-pollinators have round bodies with thick hair and pollen baskets on their legs. They live in colonies that can be between 50 and 500 individuals. Bumblebees use different nesting sites every year. Most species form a colony underground in abandoned rodent burrows. Some bumblebee species are the American bumblebee, Common Eastern bumblebee, Buff-tailed bumblebee, and Bombus Lapidarius. [2]
Butterflies
These are daytime fliers and are primarily attracted to colorful blossoms. Butterflies have large and often colorful wings. Adult butterflies will lay eggs on plants that will feed the hatched caterpillars. The caterpillars will grow in size and then pupate. After the metamorphosis, the adult butterfly will climb out of the pupae. Some butterfly species are the American Swallowtail, Monarch, Red Admiral, Western Tailed Blue, and Cabbage White. [3] [4]
Wasps
These predatory, narrow waist insects will not only protect your garden from pests but are also good pollinators. Wasps are capable of biting and stinging. Usually, they would not sting unless they feel threatened. Sometimes they will build their nests hidden near human pathways. So, when a human passes their nest, they feel threatened and defend their home. Some wasp species are Yellow Jacket, Northern Paper Wasp, Mud Dauber, and Parasitic Wasp. [5]
Hoverflies
These pollinators have the colors of a wasp and are often seen hovering around flowers. These flies do not sting or bite. They only mimic stinging bees and wasps as a defense mechanism. The adults pollinate the flowers while feeding on pollen and nectar. The larvae, however, feed on insects like aphids, mealybugs, thrips, and other plant-sucking pests. Also, hoverflies are not the only flies that will pollinate your garden. Other flies pollinate the flowers too. Some hoverfly species are Drone fly, Scaeva Pyrastri, Syrphus Ribesii, and Melanostoma Scalare. [6]
Moths
Most of the moth species are nocturnal. Moths and butterflies have similarities. However, they are not members of the same insect order. Similar to butterflies, adult moths will lay eggs on plants that will feed the hatched caterpillars. The caterpillars will grow in size and then make a cocoon or bury themselves in the ground. After the metamorphosis, the adult moth will climb out of the cocoon or out of the ground.
Though many moth species are considered pollinators, some have no mouthparts. They do not eat. These moths live to mate and lay eggs. Some can even cause significant damage to crops. Species of pollinator moths are the Yucca moth, Peppered moth, Cinnabar moth, Elephant Hawk-moth, and many more. [7] [8]
Beetles
Beetles are one of the first ones to visit your garden and flowers. Beetles are essential to garden pollination. Some of the beetles that pollinate the flowers will eat garden pests too. But some beetles will eat through leaves and flower petals on the way to the pollen and nectar. They would also excrete their waste wherever they eat.
So, not all beetles that pollinate are actually beneficial to your garden. Some will do more damage than benefit. Species of pollinator beetles are the Soldier beetle, Sap beetle, Checkered beetle, Longhorn beetle, Anthicidae family beetle, and many more. [9]
Best Plants for a Pollinator Garden
To create a pollinator garden, you have to know what plants attract what insects. Those plants will invite pollinators, and in return, these insects will ensure that you have a good crop and plenty of seeds every year.
Here are samples of some of the best plants for specific pollinators:
| Fruits and Vegetables | Flowers | Shrubs and Hedges | Weeds | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solitary bees | Fruit trees Cucumber Strawberry Blueberry bush Gooseberry bush | Sunflower Clover Borage Lavender Aubretia | Laurel hedge Pyracantha Butterfly bush California lilac St. John’s Wort | Dandelion Thistle Daisy Ivy |
| Bumblebees | Fruit trees Blueberry bush Tomato Nasturtium Currant | Sunflower Poppy Lavender Catmint Clover | Rhododendron Honeysuckle St. John’s Wort | Dandelion Thistle Ivy |
| Butterflies | Elderberry Fennel Dill Carrot Chives | Sunflower Forget-me-not Calendula Lavender | Laurel hedge Butterfly bush Buttonbush Meadowsweet St. John’s Wort | Dandelion Spanish Nettle Wireweed Ivy |
| Wasps | Fruit trees Raspberry Passion fruit | Sunflower Orchid Hyacinth Dogbane | Laurel hedge Cotoneaster tree St. John’s Wort | Dandelion Ivy |
| Hoverflies | Fruit trees Dill Radish Carrot Caraway | Sunflower Lavender Cosmos Foxglove Sweet alyssum | Bird Cherry Mexican Orange Laurel hedge | Dandelion Yarrow Bugleweed Knapweed Ivy |
| Moths | Fruit trees Raspberry Gooseberry Dragon fruit | Sunflower Petunia Bee Balm Foxglove Jasmine | Dogwood Pussy Willow Blue Mist Honeysuckle Gardenia | Dandelion Milkweed Ivy |
| Beetles | Dill Fennel Radish Mustard Oilseed Rape | Sunflower Water Lilly Orchid Bougainvillea Kalanchoe | Magnolia Laurel hedge Cycad Sweetshrub Spicebush | Dandelion Goldenrod Thistle Daisy Yarrow |
Benefits of Pollinator Garden
Let’s have a look at the benefits that a pollinator garden has.
- A pollinator garden establishes the connection between you and the environment in your own backyard.
- Pollinator garden provides a natural habitat for pollinators. These beneficial insects will keep visiting your garden and will pollinate your crops. In return, they get shelter and a continuous food supply from nectar and pollen.
- By attracting pollinators to your pollinator garden, you will also attract beneficial predatory insects.
- Some insects that feed on nectar and pollen will also feed on garden pests.
- Most food crops in the world need insect pollination. Without these beneficial insects, the food crops won’t be able to reproduce.
- The pollinator garden helps revive pollinator species that are in decline.
- A pollinator garden is a great educational tool for kids and adults. Pollinator garden provides real-life examples of how tiny insects make food for us.
- A pollinator garden can give people basic food-growing skills.
- Pollinator garden educates that we shouldn’t be afraid of all “creepy crawlers.” Some of them are actually helping us.
Final Thoughts
Planting a pollinator garden is the best effort to conserve the pollinator’s habitat. Along with bees, butterflies, wasps, flies, moths, and beetles, you can attract hummingbirds and bats, as they are also pollinators. These gardens are easy to establish and maintain. Best of all, pollinator gardens are great for the ecosystem. So, take a step to dedicate some of your space to these small insects and enjoy your favorite fruits, vegetables, and flowers.
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