I'm doing the same thing Led, backyard gardener stuff. And I would like to say that I have found in my own pollinator garden that my bees don't visit my yard that much in the spring and summer, they are on the hunt for large fields of supply. It's in the Fall that they have run out of pollen and nectar sources and they end up hanging in my yard much more. So I'm concentrating on Fall blooms a little more. Sunflowers are Very popular and so is Asters.
Bees and pollinators LOVE Lavendar, any kind. They also LOVE Thyme. And Thyme is soo good for them, it's actually one of the main ingredients in Thymol which helps combat nosema.
A List of Flowers That Honey Bees Love
Gardeners can help counter the decline in bee population worldwide
By Kathy LaLiberte
• Alyssum
• Anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum)
• Annual poppies (Papaver)
• Asters
• Bee balm (Monarda)
• Black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia)
• Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa)
• Clover (Trifolium)
• Coneflower (Echinacea)
• Cranesbill (Geranium)
Rosemary
Worldwide, pollinator populations are in serious decline. As I’ve learned more about this problem, I’ve realized that there are probably many other kinds of bees in my garden besides honeybees. In fact, there are about 4,000 species of native or wild bees in the continental U.S.,
including bumblebees, carpenter bees, sweat bees, leafcutter bees, and mason bees.
Here are a few other things to keep in mind:
• Singles are best: Flowers with double petals do not attract bees as well as single-petal blossoms. This is because most double blossoms offer less pollen and nectar than single blossoms. Often their extra set of petals has replaced pollen-laden anthers. Double blossoms also make it more difficult for bees to reach the inner flower parts.
• Blue, purple and yellow: Bees find blue, purple and yellow flowers most appealing. Flat or shallow blossoms, such as daisies, zinnias, asters and Queen Anne’s lace, will attract the largest variety of bees. Long-tonged bees will be attracted to plants in the mint family, such as nepeta, salvia, oregano, mint and lavender. Long-tounged bumblebees are attracted to flowers with
hidden nectar spurs, such as larkspur, monkshood, monarda, columbine and snapdragons.
• Add variety: Some kinds of bees are active all season long while others, such as the orchard mason bee, are only active in the spring. Plant a garden that has a variety of plants in bloom from early spring through late fall.
• Plant wildflowers and native species: Before gardeners were around to plant zinnias and alyssum, native bee species dined on wildflowers. Because wild bees and wildflowers evolved together, you can be pretty confident that wildflowers will provide bees with an excellent source of both pollen and nectar. Whenever possible, include native plants in your garden and
landscape.
• Create habitat: Loss of nesting habitat is a serious problem for wild bees.
Perfectly neat yards and gardens do not provide the raw materials bees need
to construct their nests. You can provide good nesting habitat by preserving a
small brush pile, areas with dry reeds or grasses or deadwood. A muddy area
will provide essential nesting material for mason bees.
