Why It Matters

Pollinator Conservation

Honeybees get the press, but they're just one piece. Idaho has roughly 600 species of native bees — bumblebees, mason bees, sweat bees, leaf-cutter bees — plus butterflies, moths, beetles, and flies that do pollination work. Most of them are in trouble. Here's what I've learned about supporting them.

The four things that help most

1. Stop spraying. Any pesticide — neonicotinoid or not — kills pollinators. Most lawn and garden problems can be solved with mechanical or biological controls. If you must spray, do it at dusk when bees are inside.
2. Plant native flowers in clumps. Single plants get overlooked. A 3×3 foot patch of one species is visible to bees from above. Mix species for continuous bloom — spring, summer, and fall.
3. Leave some bare ground and dead wood. Most Idaho native bees nest in the ground or in hollow stems. A perfectly manicured lawn is a desert for native pollinators.
4. Provide water. A shallow dish with stones or marbles gives bees a safe landing spot to drink. Keep it filled in summer.

Native pollinators to know

Bumblebees

Fuzzy, loud, excellent pollinators of tomatoes, peppers, and blueberries — honeybees don't buzz-pollinate like bumblebees do. Several Idaho species are declining. Support them by leaving leaf litter and rodent holes (bumblebee queens overwinter there) and planting early-spring flowers for emerging queens.

Mason Bees (Osmia spp.)

Solitary, gentle, astonishingly efficient orchard pollinators. You can host them by putting up a mason bee house — a block of wood drilled with 5/16" holes, or commercial tubes. Install facing southeast, clean out tubes each winter to prevent parasites, and they'll come back year after year.

Leaf-cutter Bees (Megachile spp.)

Named for the neat circular pieces they cut from rose and other leaves to line their nests. Not pests — leave them alone and they'll pollinate alfalfa, blueberries, and many Idaho crops.

Sweat Bees (Halictidae)

Small, often metallic green. Named because they're attracted to human sweat. Ground-nesting and harmless. Common in Idaho meadows.

Plants Idaho pollinators love

• Spring: Arrowleaf balsamroot, dandelion, serviceberry, currants, fruit blossom
• Summer: Milkweed (for monarchs!), bee balm, Rocky Mountain penstemon, native sunflowers, wild buckwheat, sweet clover
• Fall: Rabbitbrush, goldenrod, asters, chrysanthemums
• Skip: Double-flowered cultivars (often no nectar/pollen), non-native species that displace natives

Local organizations worth supporting

• The Xerces Society — national nonprofit, great Idaho-specific habitat guides
• Pollinator Partnership — planting guides by ecoregion
• Idaho Master Gardener programs — many counties have pollinator-focused workshops
• Your local beekeeping association — members can help you identify what's nesting in your yard