Not so dandy – diverse plantings improve pollinator forage

Karla Salp
Communications

Dandelions with Mt. Adams in the background

Love them or hate them, this time of year dandelions are starting to bloom, leading to the oft-repeated claim that dandelions are a great source (sometimes also claimed the only source) of early spring blooms for honey bees and other pollinators. While dandelions can be an important source of pollen for bees if there is nothing else blooming, in reality, the plants lack some essential amino acids necessary for the proper development of the hive. Dandelions can indeed help bees survive when necessary, but alone honey bees cannot thrive on them.

If you want to help pollinators, it is best to have diverse flower sources that bloom throughout the year. Here are some ideas of things to plant that make a difference for bees all year long:

Trees for Bees

Honey bee on tree blossoms

Believe it or not, trees can be one of the best sources of forage for pollinators and can provide some of the greatest density of forage/acre for bees. Most people think of fruit trees – such as cherries, apples, and pears – as being good forage sources and indeed they are. But many other trees – such as maple, linden, and willow – are also a-buzz with bees when they are in bloom. The flowers may be tiny but trees produce thousands of them, providing a glut of forage for pollinators when in bloom. Tip: If you have space, plant a variety of trees that combined bloom over a long period of time.

Shrubs

Honey bee on lavender

In addition to trees, there are numerous native and cultivated shrubs that provide copious flowers for pollinators. In Western Washington, there are several plants that will bloom even in the winter months – well before the dandelions show their sunny petals. Native plants like the red flowering currant and serviceberry are pollinator favorites. But cultivated shrubs like lilac, blueberries, and lavender also provide excellent sources. Shrubs are great for any yard and because they are generally much smaller than trees, most people have room for at least one shrub in their garden.

Flowers (of course)

While they don’t provide the quantity of forage found with trees and shrubs, flowers remain an important source of food for pollinators. The best part is that virtually everyone can plant flowers for pollinators, even if you only have a small pot on a balcony. Honey bees tend to prefer daisy-like flowers with flat, open surfaces, but plant a variety of flowers with different shapes to attract and support a wider range of pollinators. Clover is one type of flower that honey bees particularly like. Allowing clover to remain in your lawn provides not only forage for pollinators but it does double-duty and fixes nitrogen for your lawn as well!

Variety is the spice of pollinators’ lives

Bumblebee on berry flower

Like humans, some pollinators like honey bees need a varied diet for optimum nutrition and health. Some pollinators are specialists and rely on one type of plant as their sole food source. If you want to support a wide variety of different pollinators, including honey bees, aim to grow a variety of different plants that bloom at all different times of the year. Dandelions may bring a bee to your yard, but year-round blooms will keep them there.

For more information on helping pollinators in Washington State, visit agr.wa.gov/pollinators to learn more about WSDA’s Pollinator Health Task Force. 

WSDA asks beekeepers to look for and report Asian giant hornet

Karla Salp
Communications

This year when beekeepers receive their annual reminder to register their hives, they will receive something else as well – a call to action to report Asian giant hornet sightings and attacks.

Asian giant hornets are the world’s largest hornet. While they will eat various types of insects, they have a favorite: honey bees. A handful of Asian giant hornets can kill an entire hive of bees in just a few short hours. They then take over the hive and defend it as their own, taking the brood and feeding them to their own young.

In December, WSDA received and confirmed two reports of Asian giant hornet in the areas of Blaine and Bellingham.

Identifying Asian giant hornet

You can spot an Asian giant hornet by a few characteristics:

• Usually 1.5 - 2 inches long
• Large orange/yellow heads with prominent eyes
• Black and yellow striped abdomen
• Form large colonies that usually nest in the ground

Asian giant hornet attacks

You may not see Asian giant hornets themselves, but you may see the aftermath of an Asian giant hornet attack. These hornets will leave piles of dead bees, most of them headless, outside their beehive, as shown in the photos below.

Bee kill photos courtesy of Teddy McFall

Reporting sightings/attacks

If you believe you have seen an Asian giant hornet or if a beekeeper has noticed the aftermath of an attack, we want to hear about it. There are several ways to report:

• Use the online reporting form at agr.wa.gov/hornets
• Email pestprogram@agr.wa.gov
• Call 1-800-443-6684

When reporting a sighting, please provide as much of the following details as possible:

• Photos of the hornet or beehive damage.
• Your name and contact information.
• The location where the hornet was spotted or the location of the impacted hives.
• Description of the loss or damage to a hive (if photos are not available.) 
• Date or approximate date observed.
• Direction of flight when the hornet flew away. 

Asian giant hornet imposters

Don’t be fooled! Several native species can be mistaken for the Asian giant hornet.

Paper wasp 

Paper wasps are more slender and smaller overall compared to the Asian giant hornet. They also do not have an orange/yellow head.

Bald-faced hornets 

Bald-faced hornets are about an inch long and are mostly black with white stripes and spots.

Yellow jacket  

Photo credit: M. Asche

Yellow jackets are less than an inch long. They have distinctly yellow faces with a black area near the top of the head.

Elm sawfly 

Photo credit: Neil Boyle

The elm sawfly can be as large, or larger, than the Asian giant hornet. They have a black face and yellow stripes, but they lack a stinger.

Use extreme caution near Asian giant hornets

Asian giant hornet abdomen and stinger

Asian giant hornets have a much longer stinger than honeybees. Typical beekeeping attire will not protect you from Asian giant hornet stings. Additionally, their venom is more toxic than that of local honeybees and wasps and they have a comparatively greater supply of the venom as well.

Asian giant hornets can sting repeatedly. Those who are allergic to bee or wasp stings should never approach an Asian giant hornet.

Never try to remove an Asian giant hornet nest. If you find an Asian giant hornet nest, report it immediately to WSDA.

Asian giant hornets are not generally aggressive towards humans, pets, or other mammals, but they can attack if they feel threatened. Asian giant hornet stings – especially repeated stings – can require medical attention, even in those who are not normally allergic to bee or wasp stings. Several hornet-related deaths occur each year where they are native in Asia. 

Updated on May 22, 2020 to correct the number of confirmed sightings.