Bees are struggling for survival, so I try to do my part to help. First order of business: Provide water and never use chemicals.
This year, I’ll also bolster plantings to add early- and late-season bloom periods. Bees rely on nectar and pollen for fuel, so from spring’s first pussy willows to the last-gasp asters in late fall, I’ll offer sustenance. I’m also bumping up the crucial native-plant quotient. (Two places for region-by-region, pollinator-friendly plant lists: The Xerces Society’s website and the book The Bees in Your Backyard.)