While caring for the Bogardus tree bed, which is thriving with a growing hemp groundcover and lots of beautiful little coreopsis flowers, we noticed there were some large, somewhat scary-looking, hornet-like insects buzzing around us constantly. Passersby had various (incorrect!) info about these little guys: they were hornets; they were wasps… But turns out, they are ground bees, and we are so thrilled to have met them!
Did you know that 70% of all bees nest under ground? For some more information on these amazing pollinators, check out the Bee Conservancy page.
According to the Bee Conservancy, “70% of the world’s 20,000 bee species actually live largely solitary lives and lay eggs in underground nests.” Not even hives! These little ground bees do an amazing share of the pollination of flowering plants in the Americas, up to 80%–and what’s more, all ground-nesting bees are in danger of extinction. Their loss would affect habitat throughout the world, very much including the human food supply.
There are ways to help, including protecting the entrance to their underground caves, and avoiding mulching in some parts of the garden so they can dig down to nest. For other ways to nurture the bees, check out the Bee Conservancy’s excellent page.