Pollinators and How to Support Them

More than honeybees

When people think of pollinators they often picture honeybees, but they are only one of many insects that move pollen between flowers. Honeybees are managed in hives, while wild pollinators live without human care and make up a large and varied group.

• Bumblebees are large, furry social bees that nest in small colonies, often in old burrows or tussocky grass. Queens emerge early in the year, so they need early flowers.
• Solitary bees are far more numerous in species than honeybees and bumblebees. Each female makes her own nest, often in bare ground, hollow stems or small holes in wood or walls.
• Hoverflies look like small bees or wasps but do not sting. Many adults feed on nectar and pollen, while the larvae of some species eat aphids.
• Butterflies and moths drink nectar, and their caterpillars feed on leaves. Many moths fly at night and visit pale, scented flowers in the evening.
• Beetles, wasps and other flies also visit flowers. Some wasps pollinate plants and many control other insects.

Pollinators matter because a large share of flowering plants, including many fruit and vegetable crops, benefit from insect visits. The exact proportion varies depending on the crop and region, and some crops are wind-pollinated or self-fertile, so it is best not to claim that all food depends on insects. Still, pollinator decline is a recognised concern, and gardens are a place where individuals can help.

What pollinators need

Like other wildlife, pollinators need food, shelter and a safe place to breed.

Food through the seasons

A sequence of flowers from early spring to late autumn is more useful than a big display for a few weeks. Hungry queen bumblebees and early solitary bees look for flowers in late winter and spring, such as willow catkins, crocus, primroses and fruit blossom. Summer needs a broad mix, and late-flowering plants such as ivy, asters and sedum help insects prepare for winter, though suitable species vary by region.

Some flower shapes are easier for insects to use than others.

• Open, single flowers such as daisies, poppies and single roses are accessible to many insects.
• Tubular flowers such as foxgloves and honeysuckle suit long-tongued bumblebees and some moths.
• Clusters of tiny flowers such as umbellifers, including cow parsley or fennel, suit hoverflies and short-tongued insects.
• Very double or heavily bred flowers often offer little pollen or nectar and are harder to enter.

Choosing native plants forms a good basis, because they suit local insects, though many non-native garden flowers are also productive. Planting in groups, rather than single plants dotted around, makes it easier for insects to find and use them.

Shelter and nesting

Different pollinators nest in different places.

• Bumblebees often use hollows in tussocky grass, compost heaps or under sheds. Leaving a rough corner helps more than any box.
• Mining bees dig tunnels in bare, well-drained soil, especially in sunny, south-facing banks or lawns. A bare patch of soil or a sparsely covered lawn edge can suit them.
• Cavity-nesting solitary bees use hollow stems, old beetle holes in dead wood and similar gaps. Leaving some stems standing over winter, and keeping a log with holes in it, gives them homes.
• Butterflies and moths overwinter as eggs, caterpillars, pupae or adults tucked into leaf litter, hedges, sheds and bark. Leaf litter and long grass are valuable.
• Hoverflies need damp, rotting material and aphid-rich plants for larvae, depending on the species.

“Bee hotels” can help cavity-nesting solitary bees, but evidence suggests they are best kept simple and clean. Poorly made ones can encourage parasites and disease, especially if they are packed with bamboo tubes that stay damp or are never replaced. Look for designs with tubes that can be cleaned or replaced yearly, place them in a sunny, sheltered spot facing south to south-east, and don’t rely on them in place of natural habitat. Good habitat in the garden helps more than a box.

Water

Insects drink too. A shallow dish with stones to land on, kept topped up, helps on hot days. A garden pond adds a more permanent source of water.

Things that harm pollinators

• Pesticides. Insecticides can kill pollinators directly, and some products have been linked to harm even at low doses. If you must use a product, read the label carefully, follow the instructions, avoid spraying open flowers and apply in the evening when bees are not active. Often it is best to try other approaches first, which the garden’s integrated pest management approach covers.
• Weedkillers. Removing “weeds” such as dandelions, clover and nettles can remove important food plants.
• Constant tidying. Cutting everything back in autumn, leaving no stems, litter or bare ground, removes nesting and overwintering places.
• Plants treated before sale. Some nursery plants may have been treated with insecticides, though rules differ by place. Ask if a plant is labelled as safe for pollinators.
• Too much paving or artificial grass. These remove soil and food.

Practical steps

1. Plan for flowers in every season, with a focus on early spring and late autumn.
2. Use a mix of flower shapes, mostly single, open and scented.
3. Mowing less in a part of the lawn allows clover, daisies and dandelions to flower.
4. Leave some bare, sunny soil and some hollow stems for nesting.
5. Keep a pile of logs, leaves or stones in a quiet corner.
6. Provide fresh shallow water.
7. Limit chemicals, and avoid spraying open flowers.
8. If you have only a balcony, container growing of herbs such as chives, thyme and lavender works well, and letting some bloom feeds visiting insects.

Managed honeybees and wild pollinators

Keeping hives is a separate activity from supporting wild pollinators. In places where many hives are kept, honeybees may compete with wild bees for flowers, and conservation groups often suggest that wild pollinators benefit more from habitat than from additional hives. If you are interested in beekeeping, learn from a local association first and think about local forage.

Realistic expectations

You may not see dramatic results quickly, and pollinator numbers vary a lot from year to year, partly because of weather. But flowers, nesting places and fewer chemicals are well-supported actions, and they help the many small insects that quietly keep gardens working.