JUNE 2018• COUNTRY LIFE IN BC


41 Protecting pollinators key for crop yields


Honeybees should be a last resort, pollination specialist says by RONDA PAYNE


LANGLEY – Honeybees are a hot topic in agricultural circles, but what about native bees and other beneficial pollinators? Have these friends of farming been


help ensure the essential work of pollinators continues – and the food they pollinate keeps growing – by becoming familiar with the different types of pollinators and supporting their habitat wherever possible.


Greater Country Ways


forgotten in the wake of honeybee issues? The Langley Environmental Partners Society (LEPS) drew attention to pollinator health and well- being at their May 14 annual general meeting to educate attendees on the important role of all types of bees – especially in the face of potential honeybee issues. Pollinator educator Erin Udal spoke to the group of about 40 LEPS board and society members and those passionate about the environment. Farmers, gardeners and even those with a small yard can help support the work pollinators do to create our food. “Their food comes from


flowers,” Udal says of pollinators. “It’s a symbiotic relationship. Pollinators are a really hot topic right now.” While the majority of people think of honeybees when it comes to pollination, the world of pollinators is much larger. Hummingbirds, butterflies, some species of bats (but none in BC) and beetles are also pollinators, as well as all kinds of bees. The support and increased


awareness of the health of pollinators is an issue that runs beyond farmers and entomologists. People can


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awareness of Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD),


viruses and other issues


negatively impacting honeybees has increased the public’s focus on pollinators of all kinds, in turn improving habitat for pollinators, crop yields and the bottom line.


Beyond the honeybees


Bees are the only active pollinators – meaning they actively collect and carry pollen, rather than just passively transfer it – so it’s natural that they’re the best- known pollinator. Udal calls them a “keystone species,” meaning the ecosystem around bees would go through upheaval without them. “Their bodies are completely designed for the service of pollination,” she explains. “They account for about 80% of pollination and have a lot more contact with pollen.”


Honeybees aren’t the only bee species serving farmers. Although they are the bee species most often considered for pollination services due to the ability to create and move their hives with relative ease, they are not native to Canada. Honeybees were brought to Canada in the 16th century primarily to produce wax rather than honey. They are


Visual learning. Erin Udal shows off a display of bees and butterflies. RONDA PAYNE PHOTO


the only bee that produces honey in significant quantities. “We have 460 species of


native bees in BC,” Udal explains, noting that 150 call the Lower Mainland home. “We have a huge diversity of bees.”


Bees are usually classified


in three categories based on where they nest.


Ground-nesters – mining bees and Colletes species (plasterers) – tend to be solitary, with no large hive and a female who high-tails it out of the nest after laying her eggs. The bees may nest together in small numbers after hatching. They are great at pollinating crops like blueberries, apples and other fruit.


Ground nesters like sandy soil and their homes may look like an ant hole. Farmers and others have interacted with them without even realizing the beneficial bees are on site but with help, they can be even more productive. “There have probably been lots of times they’ve gotten


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