Native Bees in British Columbia
June 2024
By Leilani Pulsifer
Did you know there are almost 600 species of bees in British Columbia alone and almost 1000 species in all of Canada (L. Best, personal communication, 2022)? Bees are one of the many unmanaged pollinators in Canada that contribute to the maintenance of ecosystems and agroecosystems. They are primary pollinators that, in combination with the efforts of their fellow pollinators, contribute over US$125 trillion (for some perspective, that’s about $380,000 per person in the United States) to the world’s economy (Fleming, 2018).
Here are just a few examples of some native bee species you can spot buzzing around BC:
Whether it’s habitat fragmentation, deforestation, increased pesticide usage, or an increase in extreme weather conditions, plant-pollinator interactions are at risk of declining to a point of impacting ecosystem function (Richards & Kevan, 2002; Murray et al., 2009). In response to these threats, conservationists and beekeepers are working together to protect managed and unmanaged pollinators (Maderson & Wynn-Jones, 2016).
If you are interested in supporting the health and populations of pollinators, consider the following actions for your garden or landscaping:
Plant a variety of native plants that are nectar- and pollen-rich with differing bloom times and/or allow native plants to grow naturally throughout your lawn.
When cutting back perennials in the fall, leave a few inches of stem to provide homes for solitary bees.
Use compost instead of bark mulch as bark is often too bulky for bees to build nests in.
Avoid using pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides.
If you are a beekeeper and are interested in supporting pollinator health, keeping healthy colonies is of course a priority. Avoid the potential spread of diseases, provide forage for both your bees and the surrounding native bees, and do not saturate your apiary with hives.
If you are interested in learning more about native plant species in BC that support pollinators, be sure to check out our Pollinator Gardens Course that is launching this fall! Follow us on social media (@BC-TTP) to stay updated on the release date of this course.
We strongly encourage you to learn more about native bees! Check out the Native Bee Society of British Columbia and Pollinator Partnership Canada for a wealth of resources on native bees and pollinators alike.
References:
Fleming, S. (2009). How much is nature worth? $125 trillion, according to this report. Nature and Biodiversity. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/10/this-is-why-putting-a-price-on-the-value-of-nature-could-help-the-environment/
Maderson, S., & Wynne-Jones, S. (2016). Beekeepers’ knowledges and participation in pollinator conservation policy. Journal of Rural Studies, 45, 88–98. doi:10.1016/j.jrurstud.2016.02.015
Murray, T. E., Kuhlmann, M., & Potts, S. G. (2009). Conservation ecology of bees: populations, species and communities. Apidologie, 40(3), 211–236. doi:10.1051/apido/2009015
Richards, K. W. & Kevan, P. G. (2002). Aspects of Bee Biodiversity, Crop Pollination, and Conservation in Canada. In P. Kevan & V. L. Imperatrizz Fonseca (Eds.), The Conservation Link Between Agriculture and Nature (pp. 77-94). Ministry of Environment / Brasília.
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We hope this article has given you a glimpse into the diversity of BC’s native bee species! If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to us by emailing info@ttp-bchpa.ca or by sending us a direct message on Facebook (@British Columbia Tech Transfer Program) or Instagram (@BC_TTP).