Growing in North Idaho: Native bees in my backyard? You bet!

There are nearly 600 native bee species right here in North Idaho. Yes, you read that right — and there are approximately 20,000 native bee species worldwide!

In North Idaho, native bees are a primary and highly-efficient pollinator of agricultural crops, as well as many of our favorite garden vegetables and fruits.

Native bees are small, but mighty and can range in size from Washington’s nose on the quarter to the size of a small walnut shell. More than 90% of our native species lead solitary lives, meaning they don’t live in hives, and female bees are their own queens responsible for all tasks.

Around 30% of native bees nest in cavities, twigs, abandoned burrows, leaves, bunch grasses, tunnels or nesting materials we place for them. The other 70% nest in the ground, digging tunnels in well-drained soil.

Female bees line their nests with pieces of leaves, flowers, mud, grasses or chewed-up sawdust. Some species share nesting locations, but most are happy to live in their own cavity. Think of it like a modern-day apartment building.

The tiny 2 millimeter fairy bee, Perdita, nests in my yard in raspberry canes, which I pruned to 12 inches above the ground.

On warm days, you may see large queen bumble bees cruising close to the ground in search of their next nest. Bumble bees can fly in low-light and will continue to forage once the sun has set.

The two most common native bee species found in our landscapes are the mason bee and leafcutter bee. For many crops, these bees are better pollinators than honeybees. Mason and leafcutter bees will work when it is cold, wet and rainy (often the conditions when our fruit trees are blooming), whereas honeybees will remain in the hive.

And they are extremely efficient — about seven mason bees can do the work of over 100 honeybees.

Both are relatively docile and can be “kept” by providing appropriate nesting houses in the garden. Many nesting houses found in box stores are not correct for these species and can actually be harmful. The Idaho Master Gardener can provide more information on the correct nesting houses and materials.

When planning a pollinator garden, think about the different sized bees and plant a variety of flower shapes to accommodate the varied species and their feeding habits. Plant groups of flowers in a hedgerow or mass three of the same plants together to attract the bees.

Synthetic and organic fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides and fungicides all have an effect on bee species. Before you reach for any of these products, identify your need and use the product sparingly around the landscape.

Lastly, consider that backyard beekeeping is not conservation. It has our attention, time, funding and is expanding in popularity. Keep European honeybees for the love of what they provide, but also learn about how it affects native populations through competition and plant populations. Let’s make sure our actions help all bees, but also benefit and not negatively impact native species.

I hope during this gardening season you will sit in your garden and learn more about the tiny communities around you. For more information on native bees, bee houses and pollinator gardens, reference our extensive lists, vendors and additional resources with the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation on our website.

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Kara Carleton is the program coordinator for the Idaho Master Gardener program. The University of Idaho Extension, Kootenai County Idaho Master Gardener program is located in the UI Research Park, 958 S. Lochsa St., in Post Falls. Learn more about us at https://www.uidaho.edu/extension/county/kootenai/garden or on Facebook. Visit us in person, email us at kootenaimg@uidaho.edu or call us at 208-292-2525. IMG services are free to the public.