Pollinator Week runs from June 22 to 28. While bees usually get the spotlight, this year the Pollinator Partnership is highlighting a different group: caterpillars. Caterpillars may not pollinate plants themselves, but they grow into butterflies and moths—important pollinators that support healthy ecosystems. Their populations are in decline, mainly due to habitat loss. Butterflies, moths […]

You can help mason bees and other pollinators by making your yard more welcoming to them. The native bee Osmia lignaria, commonly called the blue orchard bee or mason bee, is one of the easiest for gardeners to support. Mason bees are exceptional pollinators. Each bee visits up to 1,800 flowers a day and pollinates […]

If you want to support the birds and tiny critters that make your garden healthy and vibrant, ease up on your fall garden cleanup routine. Here’s how to do it. Leave the leaves We recommend raking leaves off your lawn to keep the grass from thinning or developing disease, but don’t toss them out. Instead, […]

This is the time of year to think about mason bees. These small, solitary, nonaggressive bees are most active in early spring. This makes them great pollinators for fruit trees, which flower in spring. Mason bees are amazing pollinators. Each mason bee visits around 1,800 to 2,000 flowers a day, and they pollinate 95-99% of […]

Celebrate Pollinator Week, June 17-23. Pollinator Week is an annual celebration in support of pollinator health. Pollinators “are the unsung heroes behind the food we enjoy and the beauty that surrounds us,” said the Pollinator Partnership. Pollinators include bees, butterflies, moths, flies, beetles, bats and birds, especially hummingbirds. The goal of Pollinator Week is to […]

Would you like to help the earth in your own yard this Earth Day? Then change your lawn care practices. Growing a Bee Friendly Lawn will help our native bees, along with birds and other beneficial insects. And your lawn will look better, with less impact on the earth. Traditional lawn care practices are heavily […]

Why mason bees? We love mason bees. These small, solitary bees are amazing pollinators. Each mason bee visits around 1,800 to 2,000 flowers a day, and they pollinate 95-99% of them. In comparison, a honeybee may visit 700 flowers a day and pollinate about 5% of them. They are called mason bees because they use […]

Winter Hummingbird Food and Plant Options for the Pacific Northwest As gardeners in the Pacific Northwest, we know firsthand how important it is to provide food and shelter for our beloved hummingbirds during the winter months. These tiny birds are a joy to watch as they flit from flower to flower, and we can do […]

Bees are vital pollinators that play a crucial role in our ecosystem, facilitating the reproduction of countless plant species. As their populations continue to decline, it becomes increasingly important for us to provide them with suitable habitats. One effective tool in this endeavor is the installation of bee houses.

Next week is National Pollinator Week, and June is National Pollinator Month. Both are annual celebrations of pollinator health. It is a time to raise awareness for pollinators and spread the word about what we can do to protect them. You can help pollinators in your own garden. Like all creatures, pollinators need food, water […]