Our Native Bees by Paige Embry

3.5 Stars

Life is pollination, Love the Pollinators!

So, another local fauna book. This one is to assist in determining my planting plan.

After years of drought in California, I decided to reevaluate my open space, tiny as it is, and optimize for responsible resource use. That means planting things that don't require regular watering. I toughened up some of my plants and let the others die. Bye, roses. Good job, camellias.  I do make small concessions to my fruit bearing citrus trees, but even they manage on limited water.

I have several hummingbirds who avail themselves of the fountain in my garden and fight over it. One made a nest in the pine tree right over it, and I hope there isn't a repeat of baby bird that I have to guard from the evil marauding neighbor's cat that roams until it hops up my orange tree to safety. Couldn't fly, but managed to flutter up a branch, rest for five to ten minutes and then do another. Meanwhile, I'm watching desperately wishing I could just stick it in the tree, but knowing better than to get involved especially since one of the parents was still cheerleading the little sucker.

But I digress, I'm presently in native pollinator spoiling/wooing mode. I've been optimizing for my hummers and trying to lure butterflies when it occurred to me that some bees would be a wise choice, so I picked this book to come up to speed with the basics and it was good. Generally insightful overview of the both the situation with native bees and European honeybees since they've been the default workers on farms. California produces >40% of the fruits and vegetables eaten in the U.S.; that's a lot of pollenating. Good discussions on habitat and the issues with various pesticides, which is more complicated than you might suspect.

Some absolutely gorgeous pictures of the bees:

And useful information like most native bees Don't Sting. Males can't and unless attacked, i.e. stepped on then females don't either. In fact, there's a whole species called the Tickle Bee that doesn't at all!

Btw. I'll be taking part in the Great Sunflower Project and the Pollinator Friendly Plants Program where I'll sit outside with coffee or wine depending on the time of day and count visitors!

I think the book did a good job for the average person to understand the importance of bees, the environment, and insects in general. What I really appreciate in an ebook and this one did it, clickable references--CLICKABLE! Takes you right to the paper. So disappointing when a medium doesn't utilize its advantages.