What’s all the buzz about?

 

On May 20, the United Nations will celebrate World Bee Day, a day that reminds us of the vital role bees play in global food production and calls for action to support our friendly pollinators. 

 

Did you know that we have more than 1,600 native bee species here in California who make excellent and vitally important pollinators in the Golden State? Supporting bees, and pollinators in general, in large urban areas like Los Angeles is especially important because disease, pesticides and habitat loss threaten these unsung heroes of our gardens.   Here are three easy ways to take action locally to make life easier for our buzzzzzy little friends:

 

Plant – Plant a diverse collection of native plants that flower at different times of the year in your garden and yard. Creating habitat for bees and other pollinators by planting native blooming trees, shrubs and wildflowers creates food for pollinators and helps them at a local level. Here in Los Angeles, the Theodore Payne Foundation is a great resource for what California native plants will work best in your yard. You may decide to take your garden to the next level by certifying it with the National Wildlife Federation. If you’d like more information on how to do that, please visit our webpage on certifying your habitat.

 

Protect – Did you know that most pests can be managed without pesticides? By utilizing an integrated pest management (IPM) approach in your garden, you offer a natural and effective alternative to conventional methods of applying pesticides for pest control and you protect our friendly pollinators. In IPM, you treat the issue and prevent it from later occurring again instead of just treating the effect of the issue (such as the endless aphids in your garden). Learn more about natural methods that create a pest-free garden here. 

 

Purchase – By purchasing locally produced products from businesses that employ sustainable agricultural methods, you’ll be supporting farmers who have adopted practices that support pollinators. Another way to support pollinators is to buy the raw honey you can most certainly find at your local farmer’s market. 

 

Interested in learning more about how you can take action to protect pollinators and become a proactive biodiversity steward here in LA? To learn more visit LASAN’s Take Action on Biodiversity webpage.

 

How do you support pollinators in your neighborhood? Email your tips to lastormwater@lacity.org, and we’ll feature you on our social media channels. 

 

Photo courtesy of Dan Cooper.