Building & Restoring Habitat  for Pollinators

Providing habitat for pollinators is very simple.

Remember, even a small garden with floral resources can make a difference!

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How to get started...

• Recognize existing habitat that is already present and suitable for pollinators.

  • Take inventory of existing flowers.

  • Identify existing bee nest sites.

• Protect habitat and managing it in a way that benefits the pollinators already present.

  • Take note of structures present that could become nest sites.

  • Benign neglect (rotting logs, rock piles, and brush piles) can be beneficial! 

• Provide new habitat or expand existing habitat.

  • Increase available foraging habitat to include a diverse range of plants that flower at different times to provide pollen throughout the season.

  • Create nesting and overwintering sites by providing suitable ground conditions, tunnel-filled lumber, bundled paper straws, or holes drilled in pieces of wood.

  • Do not use pesticides!

• Set up a management plan that continues to maintain the habitat and minimizes disturbance to pollinators.

  • Large areas may need mowing or light and slow burning to limit tree and shrub growth.

  • Manicured gardens can be kept free of competing grasses and nectar-poor species.

  • Did I mention this already? Don’t use pesticides!

• For monitoring tips and suggestions for pollinators species, see Pollinator Monitoring.​

 

Before you jump into a project…

What are your options for placement of habitat? How will it be maintained over time? What is the size of your budget? Is this a public or private site? Are there possible sources of funding? Will you include volunteers or citizen scientists? 

 

Once you know the type of project, consider…

Habitat size and shape: Patches that are bigger, rounder, and closer to other patches are best.

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Sun exposure: It's best to have good sun exposure.

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Soil conditions: You want generally fertile soil, but also best to test for herbicide residue, drainage, salinity, pH organic content and compaction. (Cooperative Extension often helps with these types of analysis.)

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Site Maintenance: Native plants are the best choice because they require the least overall maintenance over time.

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Planting layout: Research suggests that flower groupings of at least 3 feet in diameter of an individual species are more attractive to pollinators than individual plants that are widely dispersed.

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Plant diversity: Critical factor. However, this must be weighed against cost – 50 different plants may not be as good as 10 high-nectar plants. More studies are needed to determine the best relationship between diversity and “magnet species” plantings.

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Online Resources:

Xerces Society (most amazing organization for pollinators out there!)

 

Pollinator Friendly Plants for the Northeast United States

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Pollinator-Friendly Plant Lists

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Conservation Cover for Pollinators in New England (Technical Manual)

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Regional Native Plant Lists

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Plant Lists for Nectar Corridors

 

Building Nests for Native Bees

 

Bumble Bees of the Eastern United States

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Books:

Managing Alternative Pollinators

 

Attracting Native Pollinators