Bees and butterflies are making headlines these days and the news is not good. Bees – both honeybees and native bees – are dying from a mysterious ailment called “colony-collapse disorder” (CCD). The monarch butterfly population has declined by as much as 80 percent in the last decade. Can we reverse this trend?
You can all make a difference – beginning in your own backyard.
Gardeners know that bees are the most beneficial insects in our gardens. They pollinate our fruits, vegetables and flowers. Over one third of the world’s crop production is dependent on bee pollination. Beekeepers noticed around 2006 that honeybees were dying en masse. Scientists identified CCD and began to study it. They recently have focused on a new class of chemical pesticides called neonicitonoids, or “neonics.” These pesticides seem to have an adverse affect on the nervous system of bees and other insects.
Evidence remains unclear, however, that ‘neonics’ are the sole culprit. Bees are also susceptible to mites and viruses and studies are being done to determine what pathogens may be killing bees.
A third factor that affects pollinators is the loss of natural habitat that supports bees. Following World War II, farmers stopped planting cover crops like alfalfa that return nitrogen to the soil. Instead, synthetic fertilizers came into use and herbicides killed weeds that provided flowers for the bees. Farmers began to grow monocultures— single crops cultivated over a wide area for many consecutive years. Ironically, our country’s vast farmlands became a food desert for bees.
As a result, we may need to turn to native pollinators to augment the transportable honeybee industry. There are over 4,000 different species of native bees but they, too, are declining. In any case, eight years after we recognize colony collapse, bees are still dying. Other species are at risk as well – one case in point – the beloved Monarch butterfly. We’ll be writing about the Monarch in next week’s featured story.
What you can do:
1. Don’t use pesticides in your garden, particularly those based on neonicitonoids. For spraying annoying pests, use a natural insecticide made from ingredients found in your home.
2. Plant for pollinators. There is an excellent source list of pollinator-friendly plants for Southern California found on the Xerces Society website. and is included below. Print out and take to your local nursery.
3. Become involved in your community. Find out what’s being planted in local parks, public gardens, and median strips and encourage pollinator plants. Ask your neighbors to avoid the use of neonicotinoids on plants and trees that are bee-visited (like the pear trees in bloom) or bee-pollinated (such as roses and linden trees).
This article by Windsor Square resident Jennifer Fain has been edited from its first printing in the “Garden Club of America Bulletin.” This is the first in a series the Larchmont Buzz will be doing on spring planting, pollinators, and drought tolerant garden design.
Xerces.org: Southern California Pollinator Plants
Pollinator.org: Download the Pollinator App or Read More on Pollinators
