Way to Attract Pollinators Except Bees?
I am not sure if this is the right place to ask this, but here it goes anyway. My wife is extremely allergic to bees, but I do want to attract creatures that will be helpful to my garden and the surrounding plant life in my area. She would freak out if I start trying to attract bees to our garden. Is there anything I can do to keep bees at bay but have other birds, bats, and butterflies visit?
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Ozark Lady
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I don't know how your wife reacts to bees, but I have seen people panic when they see a bee.
In the bee yard, if a person panics and starts swinging their hands, it is like egging the bees on and makes them more angry. The more the person panics, the more intense the bees get.
You know dogs are kind of like that too, if a person acts afraid of them they are more aggressive.
Good recommendations on her wardrobe and perfumes, but also she needs to be observant of her surroundings, and not injure the bees, they really don't want to die stinging anyone.
If she does encounter a bee, stay calm, to keep the bee calm. Also panicking increases her blood flow and would have the venom go through her faster...
Calm, even if she has to count to 100! As quietly as possible simply walk away from the bee, no arm swinging, no loud noises. They only sting to protect their hive, or their lives, so don't make them think that they are in danger by waving and screaming.
Have you considered buying her a bee suit? Not 100% protection, but she might enjoy outside more with one on.
In the bee yard, if a person panics and starts swinging their hands, it is like egging the bees on and makes them more angry. The more the person panics, the more intense the bees get.
You know dogs are kind of like that too, if a person acts afraid of them they are more aggressive.
Good recommendations on her wardrobe and perfumes, but also she needs to be observant of her surroundings, and not injure the bees, they really don't want to die stinging anyone.
If she does encounter a bee, stay calm, to keep the bee calm. Also panicking increases her blood flow and would have the venom go through her faster...
Calm, even if she has to count to 100! As quietly as possible simply walk away from the bee, no arm swinging, no loud noises. They only sting to protect their hive, or their lives, so don't make them think that they are in danger by waving and screaming.
Have you considered buying her a bee suit? Not 100% protection, but she might enjoy outside more with one on.
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Ohio Tiller
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Being stung is not fun but being allergic adds a whole new dimension to it! My brother is very allergic also and he wears a suit like this when he gardens.
https://www.mountaingear.com/webstore/Cl ... 115342.htm
https://www.mountaingear.com/webstore/Cl ... 115342.htm
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valley
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I'm sure you know a bee when you see one. Several people I've seen complaining about bees, they turned out to be wasps. Bees don't sting for no reason, as they die if they sting a person.
Pollinators can be attracted by planting: flowers, bushes, and trees they like. You can google to get an idea what pollinators are in your area. Bees are wonderful creatures, I would hope it is a member of wasp family that is the problem. Not many people are lucky enough to have bees in their garden. We seldom see them, so I plan to get a hive.
Good luck with your planting.
Richard
Pollinators can be attracted by planting: flowers, bushes, and trees they like. You can google to get an idea what pollinators are in your area. Bees are wonderful creatures, I would hope it is a member of wasp family that is the problem. Not many people are lucky enough to have bees in their garden. We seldom see them, so I plan to get a hive.
Good luck with your planting.
Richard
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applestar
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I think one way to attract garden visitors and enjoy the garden, too, would be to plant the heavy nectar flowers away from the paths and patio, etc. busy areas. Place the bird feeder closer to the house -- the bird activity will discourage the insects -- they will tend to maintain a wide berth in their flight patterns. Obviously don't use fruit feeder (attracts wasps and bees) but stock sunflower, sufflower, and niger seeds.
Place house wren houses on posts or hang them from eaves so they will be constantly flying near the house.
Put the bird bath, fountain, or small pond, etc. water feature further away from the house since yellow jackets and other wasps will also try to visit, but you could keep butterfly puddler closer to the house (or not -- my "butterfly puddler" is basically when I water the garden -- they perch on the moist soil and drink
). Attract the butterflies closer to the house by planting their larval host plants in the near garden beds rather than the nectar flowers which they can get from the further bed.
Hummingbird nectar feeders attract wasps so either place them away from the house or better yet, just plant flowers that attract them where you want them. Their tubular flowers are not so accessible for honeybees but bumble bees will tear the blossom base and drink from them. But bumblebees are generally gentle and even less likely to sting than honeybees. (Only time I was remotely concerned was when I startled a bumblebee by dropping a cloth from a second story window and it shot off, head budding my toddler who was watching me from the ground nearby. It did not sting my daughter, though the incident scared her.)
How about planting native trumpet honeysuckle on a wall trellis near a window that is not opened and which is located away from the generally used area of the garden (like doors and patios). I have such a planting in two locations and we can watch the hummingbirds fly and perch very close from inside the windows.
The tiny beneficial wasps and flies can be attracted with tiny flowers that won't be as much interest to larger bees and wasps. An example would be grasses and sedges.
Place house wren houses on posts or hang them from eaves so they will be constantly flying near the house.
Put the bird bath, fountain, or small pond, etc. water feature further away from the house since yellow jackets and other wasps will also try to visit, but you could keep butterfly puddler closer to the house (or not -- my "butterfly puddler" is basically when I water the garden -- they perch on the moist soil and drink
). Attract the butterflies closer to the house by planting their larval host plants in the near garden beds rather than the nectar flowers which they can get from the further bed.Hummingbird nectar feeders attract wasps so either place them away from the house or better yet, just plant flowers that attract them where you want them. Their tubular flowers are not so accessible for honeybees but bumble bees will tear the blossom base and drink from them. But bumblebees are generally gentle and even less likely to sting than honeybees. (Only time I was remotely concerned was when I startled a bumblebee by dropping a cloth from a second story window and it shot off, head budding my toddler who was watching me from the ground nearby. It did not sting my daughter, though the incident scared her.)
How about planting native trumpet honeysuckle on a wall trellis near a window that is not opened and which is located away from the generally used area of the garden (like doors and patios). I have such a planting in two locations and we can watch the hummingbirds fly and perch very close from inside the windows.
The tiny beneficial wasps and flies can be attracted with tiny flowers that won't be as much interest to larger bees and wasps. An example would be grasses and sedges.