Save Ohio Bees

Happy Pollinator Week! Consider coneflower for your garden or flower pot. Coneflower, a.k.a. echinacea, is a gorgeous perennial pollinator magnet and medicinal plant that is native to Ohio.

CONGRATS to Jenny of Columbus, Ohio, who won our potted coneflower, garden tool, and wildflower seed giveaway at the // Franklin Park Conservatory Pollinator Palooza on Saturday!

Coneflower does well in an area that receives 6-8 hours of sun each day. They prefer medium well-drained soil, and like to be watered regularly when they are young and getting established.

Coneflower will bloom throughout the summer and through the fall until the frost comes, which is very helpful to late-season nesters like bumble bees.

You can cut the dead flowers to the next leaf stem to dead-head them, and place the spent heads on the ground for the birds and reseeding.

Avoid cutting the whole stem down, as the stems may be used by small cavity-nesting bees in the fall for overwintering.

To plant a young coneflower, dig a hole about twice the pot’s diameter. Backfill the hole to the top of the root ball. Space plants 1 to 3 feet apart. Water them in. Feed them, or place a thin layer of compost on the soil surface before adding mulch.

Coneflowers will also do well in a container/flower pot. At the end of the season, you can place the pot in the garage or basement after they go dormant, keep them watered from time to time, and bring them back out in the spring.

To get a list of Native Plants of Ohio, visit saveohiobees.org.

YAY! U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced critical habitat designation for the Rusty Patched bumble bee! They have designated about 1.5 MILLION acres of occupied critical habitat across 33 counties in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin under the Endangered Species Act.

Of the estimated 16-20 bumble bee species in Ohio, about half are already considered to be rare or uncommon.

The Rusty Patched bumble bee has only been sighted in Ohio twice in the last 20 years, and the Yellow-banded bumble bee has not been sighted here since 1981 (Goodell, et al., 2019).

Bumble bees are essential pollinators in North America, particularly of vegetable crops and ecosystems.

Ohio is one of the top 10 growers of pumpkins, tomatoes, bell peppers, grapes, apples, and strawberries, among others (Ohio Secretary of State, 2022), and 1 in 7 people in Ohio are employed by agriculture, making the health of bumble bees and other native bees essential to the families and economy of our region.

Pollinator habitat restoration is essential to the recovery of bumble bees and other native bees. Ohio is home to nearly 500 species of native bees!

Would you donate to restore pollinator habitat? Every $1,000 we raise restores at least 43,560 sq. ft. of pollinator habitat in Ohio. www.saveohiobees.org/donate

Who's busy in June? Squash bees! Squash bees (Peponapis pruinosa) are essential pollinators that depend exclusively on cucurbit plants (pumpkins, squash, and gourds) for pollen and nectar.

Females dig solitary vertical tunnels for nesting, directly under the foliage of squash plants. These nesting chambers can be up to two feet deep. Basically, they nest where they eat.

Squash bees forage during the early morning when the blossoms open, and can often be found sleeping in the withered blossoms in the afternoon, like this 'lil dude.

Squash bees are three times more effective at pollinating zucchini and pumpkins than honey bees, and are able to visit far more flowers per minute.

Did you know that Ohio ranks among the top U.S. producers of pumpkins, with more than 7,000 acres dedicated to this beloved crop? Pumpkins in Ohio generate between $15 and $20 million each year, making squash bees essential to our farmers and state economy.

THANK YOU, SQUASH BEES!

How can we help squash bees?

First, no tilling. Because squash bee pupae overwinter in nests beneath the ground, deep tillage will destroy them. Gardeners and farmers should avoid deep tillage in vegetable patches or leave part of the field untilled for these babies.

Second, no pesticides. These soil-dwelling darlings are highly vulnerable to chemicals applied to the ground or plant bases.

Have you ever wondered about the differences in color, aroma, and flavors associated with seasonal honey? It's all about the flowers that honey bees have access to during each season. In today's post, our friends at Honeyrun Farm explain. You see, unlike Native Bees that are usually "generalist pollinators" that visit lots of different flowers, trees, and shrubs along the pollination path, honey bees hone in on one type of flower during foraging.

Honey bees start by collecting nectar from flowers and bringing it back to the hive. Each individual bee collects nectar from the SAME color and species of flower, which results in a unique color and flavor of honey for each season and region.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
Here's a simplified explanation:
Inside the honeycomb, the field bee transfers the nectar to a house bee. The house bee adds more natural enzyme to break down the sugars into sucrose and glucose.

Then, the liquid is ready for "ripening." The bee wings inside the hive fan the liquid, which evaporates and concentrates the liquid to create honey. Reducing the water content allows the bees to store more honey and concentrate the sugars to prevent spoilage.

When each cell is full of honey, the honey bees seal the cell with a wax cap. Beekeepers harvest honey by collecting the honeycomb frames, scraping off the wax caps, and placing the frames in an extractor that spins the frames to force the honey out of the combs. What an AMAZING and arduous process!

Honey bees make honey to feed the hive. According to the National Honey Board, a hive usually provides a surplus of about 55 pounds of honey per year. (That's the only reason that we humans can have some.)

Ohio's honey production shows resilience, with 2024 yielding 1.25 MILLION pounds of honey extracted from around 22,000 colonies. Honey Beekeeping is growing in Ohio.

PRO TIP:
All honey will become granulated, and this does NOT mean there is anything wrong with it. Granulated honey can be re-liquefied by gently warming it in a pan of water.

Our most frequently asked question: What is the differences in the types of honey you sell? We get this question every week at the market, and it's a good question! There are obvious differences in color, but those color differences also reflect flavor variations. The lighter Spring honey tends to be milder and more delicate, while Summer is a little bit stronger and more traditional, and Fall honey is more robust. If you visit our booth at the farmer's market, you are always welcome to sample all the honey we have available - just ask! And while it may seem obvious- another difference is when the honey is harvested (as noted by the seasons). Here in Ohio, we don't have a "Winter honey" - even though we occasionally get that request. The bees do get one season off.

Have you ever noticed perfectly carved circles or ovals missing from your garden plants? It's nearly leafcutter bee season!

In Ohio, magical leafcutter bees are usually active between June and August. These solitary bees emerge when daytime temperatures consistently reach 70-75 degrees.

Adult bees spend 4–6 weeks actively foraging, mating, and laying eggs in hollow stems, wood cavities, or tunnels. Or, commercially made bee houses with larger tube structures. (We love the leafcutter bee homes made in Ohio by Osmia Bee.)

These bees use smooth-leaved plants to build their gorgeous nesting tubes, and you may see them cutting circular pieces out of plants like rose bushes, hostas, red bud trees, or lilacs. But don't worry. This does NOT harm the plants.

Many late-season fruits and vegetables depend on leafcutter bees for pollination. Some leafcutting bees are even used as commercial pollinators (like honey bees) in crops such as alfalfa, carrots, and blueberries.

Leafcutter bees are solitary bees. They do not form colonies or have queens like honey bees. The female leafcutter bees do the work, locating nesting sites, creating nest cells from leaf and petal fragments, and providing the eggs with food. Adult females may live up to two months and lay between 30 and 40 eggs.

This is one of the reasons that leaving the hollow stems in the garden is so important, along with lots of native flowers to provide pollen and nectar.

Do your homework on commercial nesting boxes if you're interested in hosting these bees. There are important things to know about these solitary cavity-nesters to set them up for success.

It's World Bee Day! Did you know? There are about 4,000 species of wild bees in North America. That's 4X more than birds, and 10X more than mammals.

🐝 1 in 4 native bee species and 40% of pollinators globally are threatened with extinction.

🐝 28% of bumble bees are threatened. And, they are the most efficient pollinators in wild landscapes in North America.

That's why we do what we do.
You want the good news?

😍 70% of US land is privately owned.

Plant or GIVE today, and YOU can make a difference in Ohio!

1. Plant something - Get free guides and watch free "how-to" pollinator garden videos at saveohiobees.org/free-guides.

2. Give to our nonprofit - Every $1,000 raised restores at least one full acre with 28 species of native wildflowers. Visit saveohiobees.org/donate.

Thank you for taking action to restore pollinator habitat for the bees and all wild pollinators on World Bee Day!

Did you know that Carpenter Bees are INCREDIBLE vegetable and crop pollinators? They look similar to the bumble bee, except they are larger and have a "shiny hiney" instead of a "fluffy butt". (These are technical terms you can use to impress your friends.)

ABOUT CARPENTER BEES

1. Carpenter bees are only attracted to dead, soft, unfinished wood. They don't know the difference between "good dead wood" and "bad dead wood."

2. They are solitary cavity nesters and superhero pollinators of many vegetables, crops, and flowers who use buzz pollination.

3. The female builds the nest, and the male guards it. But, he doesn't have a stinger! So, no worries. He only looks tough.

4. Female carpenter bees are brilliant little bees who will return to the same nesting place each year unless the wood has been well-sealed (painted and or stained with two coats) or the nesting place has been removed.

5. The BEST way to deter them is to seal all wood with two coats of stain or paint, and caulk or plug any open spots.

If they are trying to nest but NOT established, you can deter them with a simple, 3-ingredient peppermint oil spray (recipe below), or try Mighty Mint, a commercial product available at most stores.

5. If you find a nest or have an established nest, call a pro for evaluation. Look for pros who can relocate if possible. If the bees are only scouting, try this deterrent recipe.

PEPPERMINT OIL RECIPE

This 3-ingredient recipe for a natural deterrent spray may prevent them from nesting when regularly applied early morning, and late evening, when bees are not active (do not spray it on the bees).

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

A clean spray bottle (22 to 32 oz.) Add 2 Tablespoons of vegetable soap, like liquid castile soap or Murphy’s Oil Soap. Fill the spray bottle slowly with water. Add 10 to 20 drops of pure peppermint oil. They hate it! Swish and apply to wood per above.

Or, buy a similar retail product called Mighty Mint.

Hey, bee-ple! Have you ever noticed a tiny, metallic green insect land on you? This may be the gorgeous Sweat Bee.

Sweat Bees are known for their metallic, green, or green-blue color. They got their common name because of their attraction to the salty perspiration of humans and animals.

Sometimes they land on us to get a sip because they need a little more salt than the average bee, but fear not! They are gentle by nature and rarely sting. The rare sting is also very mild, similar to a pin prick.

Sweat Bees are native to every continent except Antarctica!
These 'lil ground nesters may be social or solitary. They are tiny in comparison to a honey bee and range from 3 to 10mm in length.

One of their pollinator superpowers is their contribution to forest biodiversity. They can fly up to ONE MILE in a forest while providing pollination services. That would be like a human walking from New York to Los Angeles. WOW!

Sweat Bees are also important pollinators of native wildflowers and stone fruit trees.

Thank you, Sweat Bees, for being amazing.