Creating habitats for native bees (continued)

Bumblebees need BOTH nectar and pollen to survive. Pollen is particularly essential for their reproduction, and if they can't gather enough this will hamper their life cycle. Certain native flowers are important pollen sources, while others are valuable nectar sources. Additionally, bumblebees with long tongues need tubular flowers with long nectar spurs, while bees with short tongues need shallower flowers. To provide habitat for the greatest number of species, you must have pollen sources and nectar sources in a variety of floral shapes and sizes. To assess the usefulness of your planned habitat, Rob suggested using the checklist at right.

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Rob's Guide to Native Floral Resources for Bumblebees in Massachusetts lists valuable plants -- specifying those that provide pollen sources and those that provide nectar sources -- that Rob has documented during his studies. He expects to add more plant species to it as his research continues. 

Want to learn more about native bumblebees? Check out this article Rob wrote for the Mass Wildlife Magazine, and get involved in bumblebee conservation through the Bee-cology Project.