Bees are vital for urban ecosystem health.

Honey bees and other pollinators feed on the natural biodiversity of city environments. Honey bees enjoy visiting many different types of plants, and thrive in green urban environments. 

In cities like Boston, honey bees find safe havens in community gardens and urban farms within the city. It is a mutually beneficial relationship. Without community gardeners and urban farmers, honey bees would have access to less plant diversity. And, without honey bees, community gardens and urban farms would have less plant success.

What types of animals are pollinators?

Pollinators are more than just bees. They are every animal that drinks nectar or picks up pollen as they move from plant to plant. Pollinators include bees, birds, bats, butterflies, moths, flies, beetles, wasps, and small mammals.

What are native bees?

Not all bees are alike. In the United States alone, there are over 4,000 types of bees. Native bees differ largely in functionality, size, and other characteristics. Native bees sometimes only feed on one species, such as the blue sage bee, which only pollinates the blue sage plant. Others are adapted to certain environments, such as the perdita perpallida. This tan bee adapted to prairie environments where they nest in the sandy soils. Because there is such a high variety of native bees, they actually perform more ecosystem services than honeybees.

What species do pollinators like the most?

Pollinators are attracted to different plants depending on the anatomy of the flower and the insect. For example, bats cannot pollinate a delicate, small flower as well as a bee can. And a bee cannot pollinate a flower with a long stem as well as a hummingbird can. In general, the best plants for pollinators are American native perennial plants, annual flowers that have pollen, and herbs, shrubs, and trees. Native plants to Massachusetts that are attractive to bees include milkweed, New England aster, and bergamot.

What is the pollination process like for honey bees?

Honey bees can pollinate up to 40 flowers per minute. They prefer to stick to a singular flower species per pollination trip. This helps bees collect more nectar and pollen over time. Bees perceive ultraviolet light, not visible light like humans. This helps them see sunlight better, even on cloudy days. The sun helps them tell time. Bees can travel up to five miles away from a hive for food. But, they normally stick within a two mile radius of the hive.