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How do you attract bumblebees to your garden?
You might not believe it when I say my kids have never been afraid of bumble bees. They are use to these fuzzy friends buzzing around our yard, and have even been known to pet them.
The truth is the big fat bumble bees (guys, let me just throw it out there I am not talking about wasps here) are actually quite passive and gentle and excellent pollinators.
You WANT them in your yard and feasting off your flowers as they will continue to pollinate and keep your yard looking amazing.
So how do you welcome them to your yard? Take a look at 26 ways to attract bumble bees to your yard so they can continue to do their job as pollinators.
26 Ways to Attract Bumble Bees:
1. Give them cover.
Bees need a break from the sun and heat, too. Planting ground cover can give them a place to hide out between feedings and flying.
Native trees are also a great idea for providing shade to all of your garden critters.
What do bees drink?
2. Give them something to sip on.
If you ever run into a fat bumble bee that seems lethargic, it might be dehydrated. Yes, this is a real thing.
Place shallow dishes of water in yard and around flowers, or keep a fountain going (place pebbles in it for bees to sit on) so they can hydrate as needed.
Coleus is a leafy annual that can be placed in pots and borders to add shade. You can learn more by checking out my Tips for Growing Coleus here.
3. Try some colorful bee balm. Bee balm is gorgeous perennial that can attract bees to your yard while also dressing up your landscape.
It is just a few bucks per plant, and hardy enough for season and after season. I have some helpful tips on how to grow bee balm here.
You can also consider Horsemint, a uniquely colored bee balm. You can find the seeds on Amazon here.
What colors are bees attracted to?
4. Keep color in mind when planting.
Bees love blue, purple, and yellow flowers and plants. Keep these colors in mind when choosing your landscape so you can be sure you plant flowers that they will notice and buzz over to check out.
We have a lilac bush which the bees seem to love. Learn more about lilacs by checking out this post on 5 Ways to Use Lilacs.
Why not consider placing an insect house in your garden? It can help attract good insects such as bumble bees, lacewings, and ladybugs. You can find a bumble bee house here. It’s not only affordable, but oh so cute! Find a bumble bee house here
Which vegetables are bees attracted to?
5. Plant flowering vegetables.
Consider planting flowering vegetables or a vegetable garden with items such as tomatoes and zucchini.
This way you can get the veggies you want while the bees get the pollen they need. This is one of the simplest ways to attract bees while growing food for yourself too!
Keep in mind most veggies need to be grown in full sun, so if you are using this method to attract bees be sure to offer them some cool shade as well.
6. Try planting flowering fruits.
This is much like the suggestion above and another great way. to attract bees.
Consider planting flowering fruits like strawberries and apples that will blossom before they bloom fruit.
You will get the fruit you want while the bees get the pollen they need. While you are at it, why not consider some heirloom varieties of herbs? This is a great way to grow the herbs you need while helping the bees.
RELATED: Want to know which other plants attract bees? Check out my list of 10 Plants and Flowers That Attract Bees here.
7. Forget about pesticides.
This may seem like a no brainer, but don’t load up on pesticides. You will kill the bees and that isn’t good.
Instead, use natural pest protection such as herbs, sage burning, and the use of lady bugs in your garden. This is a sure way to create a bee-friendly garden.
Flowers that attract bees
8. Plant single petal flowers.
Bees don’t do complicated. Layered flowers like peonies can be difficult for them to feed from. Instead, choose from flat and single flowers like Queen Ann’s Lace or Black Eyed Susans since they are easier to feed from.
Double flowers may pose a problem to their feeding and should be avoided as a main attraction.
9. Try planting native wildflowers and native plants.
So, what do the local bees in your area want? Bees will love flowers and plants that are native to your area. This is what they are the most familiar with and attracted to.
Do some research on what these plants are and then plant accordingly. Bee friendly plants can make a huge difference to the number of pollinators that come to your yard.
You might even have bee friendly wild plants growing in your yard…be sure to check!
10. Stagger your plantings for season long blooms.
This is a really smart tip for ways to attract bumble bees. Don’t give the bees a nice buffet early in the season then have it all die off.
Instead, stagger your plantings so you can give them fresh blooms all season long. They are sure to appreciate a range of plants and food offerings.
Bee Balm is perfect for attracting bumble bees, and you can find this colorful sampler set on Amazon here.
Perennials that attract bees
11. Try these popular perennials.
There are so many perennials that bees love, and all you have to do is plant them once and be done.
These flowers include cone flower, butterfly weed, poppies, and lilies. Adding these bee friendly perennials are an effective way to create a safe haven for the bees. Give these perennials a try and see how the bees flock.
Before you go be sure to check out How to Start a Garden for Free.
12. Don’t kill or aggravate them!
Teach children not to kill or swat at bees. Let them just sniff around and feed and if left alone, they will leave you alone.
Teach children how to be respectful of bees and respect their space. It is a good idea to have this conversation with kids when they are young so they grow up to be respectful of the bees and the role they serve to our planet.
13. Start planning for their arrival in late winter and early spring.
You don’t need a huge garden space or even the most beautiful garden ready to prepare for the bee’s arrival.
As soon as the growing season starts, you can get ready to roll! Start prepping your landscape in early spring so the flowers you do have are ready to bloom by their arrival.
All flowers look like beautiful flowers to bees. The important thing is their comfort, so choose the best plants and don’t worry so much about how neat and perfect the yard looks.
14. Plant a butterfly bush.
This is one of my favorite bee-friendly plants. When considering individual plants to add to your yard, butterfly bush should be at the top of this list.
Insect pollinators in general love this bush! You don’t need a large garden to fit a butterfly bush, in fact some people even grow them in containers of different sizes.
They are pretty easy to care for as well, which is always great news. Not only will monarch butterflies and butterflies in general love this plant, but bees will too.
15. Create bee-friendly areas in your yard.
Even if you have a small garden or yard, you can create a bee friendly space. If you have pets and children, it may be smart to place bee feeders and bee friendly plants in a space that children or pets can’t access. Pets in general may intimidate bees.
In our house, we keep all of our bee attracting plants in the front yard so I know the dogs won’t bother them.
Creating a bee-friendly space doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive, just offer a peaceful retreat with a water source, native plants, and some shade.
16. Expect other beneficial insects.
Don’t panic if you see other beneficial bugs arrive in your yard. Adding all of these native plant species to your yard will very well do that! This may include preying mantis, ladybugs, and butterflies. These will all be helpful to your yard and are a great sign when you see their arrival!
17. Consider placing bee houses in your yard.
Also called a bee hotel, this carefully constructed houses contain small holes for bees to find rest in.
They are available in all sorts of shapes and designs like the example below. This is a fun way to decorate your home garden while providing them respite.
18. Go crazy with purple coneflower.
Purple flowers in general are very attractive to bees and one of my favorite garden plants. If you are unsure about where to begin with your landscaping, go right for purple coneflowers.
This is one of my favorite perennial plants to use to attract pollinators. Scattering the coneflower so they all bloom at different times is even better. Coneflowers can keep blooming into late summer, which keeps bees fed up until the cool weather hits.
19. Place a bee bath in your yard.
Amongst your variety of plants you should also offer a bee bath for bees to drink from. During hot weather, they look for water sources just like other animals.
You can offer a source of water such as a small, flat dish with cool water that is changed out often. This is an easy way to keep those bees happy!
20. Take good care of the native flowers and flower gardens in the yard.
Be sure to take proper care of your landscaping. Proper care of your flowers plays an important role in the care of bees. Keep them well watered and mulched.
Keep weeds at bay and remove dead foliage. Treat your plants with natural, chemical free fertilizers and pest deterrents. Healthy plants means healthy bees.
21. Look for monarch butterflies.
Seeing monarch butterflies in your yard is good news. If the space feels friendly to them, chances are bees will agree!
If you see them, celebrate. The bees are on their way to your newly created bee garden.
22. Offer a range of flower shapes.
Choosing flowers of different sizes and various shapes can be beneficial, especially if your yard attracts different kinds of bees.
Identify your native bee species, look at the flowers they enjoy, then try to pick out 3-4 flowers that each offer a different shape/size.
23. Be a mindful food source.
Would you want to eat foods covered in chemicals? No way! Be mindful of what goes on your plants, because whatever you treat them with, the bees will consume.
Be a mindful food source by using natural, food safe products on your plants.
24. Consult your local garden center.
Your local gardening center can help you identify the different species of bees that visit your yard. They can also help you with the identification and care of plants that would be beneficial for your yard.
Head to a trusted gardening center so you can get further tips to help you on your bee journey.
25. Don’t contribute to habitat loss.
You can avoid contributing to habitat loss by being mindful of what you remove from your yard. Many times people remove areas that make ideal habitats for bees.
Native plants and trees are on this list of items to keep in place. If you must remove, consider adding a bee hotel to your space.
26. Know your types of bees and bee species.
Picking the right plants means knowing who your guests are. There are so many types of bees. Honey bees, carpenter bees, sweat bees, leafcutter bees, mason bees, solitary bees, and many more.
Different areas of the country have different species of native bees. It is important to be able to identify these different bees and their needs in order to help these important pollinators.
Why is the bee population declining?
In recent years, the decline of the bee population in North America has been a hot topic. As the pollinator populations decline, we are realizing how important bee pollination is to our planet and The United States in general!
So why is the bee population declining? Use of pesticides, climate change, a lack of native plants, and chemicals have all been blamed for the decline.
The best thing we can do is continue to create bee friendly spaces using the suggestions mentioned above.
Attracting bumble bees to your yard is really a wonderful thing. The big fat bumblers don’t typically bite or sting, are quite docile, and love to just buzz around minding their own business.
If you are looking for ways to attract bumble bees to your yard, give these 26 tips a try!
Want some more gardening tips and tricks? Check out these other great gardening topics:
– How to Attract Ladybugs to Your Yard
12 Hydrangea Growing Tips DIY Butterfly Feeder How to Attract Hummingbirds to Your Yard 15 Free Garden Catalogs to Send For