The Importance of Planting the Right Flowers for Endangered Bees
It’s so great that people are planting flower strips to help endangered bee species! But, sadly, the most beneficial plants for these little guys are often missing, according to experts.
Diverse Needs of Bee Species
Marianne Strand Torvanger, a research fellow at the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Oslo, is conducting her PhD on the distribution of wild bees. She highlights that Norwegian authorities have launched projects aimed at planting flowers to assist endangered bee species. “There are 210 bee species in Norway, and they require very different conditions to thrive,” Torvanger emphasizes. Many species lack access to the right type of flowers.
Misconceptions About Helping Bees
“We love honeybees that produce honey and bumblebees that buzz in the flower meadow,” says Torvanger. However, she notes that while people may think they’ve contributed to nature by supporting these bees, it often does little for overall biodiversity.
Efforts to Improve Plant Selection
NIBIO (the Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy) is working on developing regional seed mixtures that are more suitable for different bee species. However, these mixtures are currently too expensive for widespread agricultural use.
Plants That Benefit Endangered Bees
Torvanger points out several plants that are particularly beneficial for some red-listed bee species, such as the wicker sand bee and the ground bee. These plants include foal’s flower, spotted pig’s ear, hair weave, hawk’s beard, and goat’s beard.
