Nature’s Networkers.
Wild bees play a crucial role in the health of the urban ecosystem, where their work goes mostly unnoticed. There are more than 500 species of wild bees in British Columbia, and they fill important roles as pollinators in urban parks, gardens, and yards. Green spaces are limited and fragmented in cities, and biodiversity is low due to intensive landscaping, so wild bees are essential to the health of urban vegetation. As pollinators, wild bees ultimately help to feed many of the other species in urban communities, like birds, squirrels, and other beneficial insects that survive on fruits, nuts, and leaves from plants that wild bees help to pollinate.
Pollinators in Peril.
Wild bee populations have experienced an alarming global decline for more than a decade. Some of the factors responsible for this decline are the loss of natural habitats due to urbanization, and the use of pesticides. These activities disrupt bee nesting sites, reduce the availability of flowering plants for food, and weaken the bees’ immune systems making them more susceptible to diseases and parasites. But through habitat restoration, reduced use of pesticides, and promoting bee-friendly gardening practices we can help create more supportive urban environments for the bees.
Helping the Helpers.
Wild bees can thrive in various urban habitats, including parks, gardens, laneways, and even on rooftop gardens and planted window boxes. The adaptability and resilience of wild bees make them valuable allies in urban biodiversity conservation efforts. Residents, real estate developers, and local governments can all help bees thrive simply by providing them with more places to live, hide, and forage for food. Planting and maintaining even a small area dedicated to native plants and wildflowers in a park, garden, patio, or even on a rooftop can create a much-needed habitat for local wild bees.