Bumblebees

Local Bees, Local Habitat

The bumblebees featured here are native to our ecosystem, part of the Willamette Valley's community of wild pollinators. Giving them a place to live and flowers to visit is a practical way to care for the wildlife already around us.

Nesting habits vary by species. Some use underground cavities, often abandoned rodent burrows, while others nest at the ground surface in thick grass or in sheltered above-ground spaces such as old bird nests and bird boxes. Ground nesting and cavity nesting often overlap: an underground burrow is a cavity, too.

Nearby flowers matter. Bumblebees don't usually travel as far from home as honey bees do, and they benefit from a mix of flowers near their nesting site. Foraging distances vary with species and the surrounding landscape. Providing food and nesting habitat together helps keep the resources a new queen needs to get started within reach.

A Little Habitat Goes a Long Way

Start with a corner of your yard or garden. A few thoughtful choices can make it more welcoming:

• Grow a variety of locally native flowers with overlapping bloom times from spring into fall.
• Leave some bunch grasses, leaf litter, and sheltered corners undisturbed for nesting and overwintering habitat.
• Avoid insecticides in the habitat you're creating, and give established nests space where they can safely remain.

Making room for these little neighbors is a small act of kindness. Planting more flowers, a little less tidying, and leaving a place for wildlife to belong are simple ways to help local pollinators.