Fun Facts

Did you know that about 75% of flowering plants require pollination?

Varieties of bees commonly found in the Pacific Northwest are: Honey Bees, Bumble Bees, Sweat Bees, Carpenter Bees, and Mason Bees

Mason bees are super-charged pollinators: A single Mason bee can pollinate as much as SIXTY honey bees combined!

There are over 59 species of butterflies commonly found throughout the Pacific Northwest! The most common are the Western Tiger Swallowtail, Lorquin’s Admiral, Mourning Cloak, California Tortoiseshell, Fritillaries, Monarch, and Woodland Skipper.

There are way more pollinators than our common bees, butterflies and hummingbirds! Less commonly known pollinators include: wasps, flies, moths, beetles, mosquitos, bats, birds, and even some shrimp (yes, seagrass even needs pollination!)

Hummingbirds are not cavity nesters and will not use bird houses. Instead, they build their nests in shrubs or trees, 10-40 feet off the ground.

Hummingbirds use spider webs to attach their nests to branches and hold other nesting materials together! Their nests also commonly consist of plant materials (including moss, leaves, twigs, and dandelion down), tent caterpillar silk, and pine rosin (used as another gluing option).

Honey bees will travel 2-3 miles (sometimes up to 5 miles) for nectar, while mason bees typically only venture 200-300 feet from their nest. It’s a great idea to keep mason bee houses close to your gardens so you are guaranteed bountiful blooms and harvests!

Unfortunately in North America, more than a quarter of our bumblebee species are at the risk of extinction, and both bees and butterflies are declining at a shocking rate of 1-2% a year. We can help our little pollinator friends by providing them food, shelter, and water in our backyards! Want to learn more? Here is a fascinating article published by CNN.
https://www.cnn.com/2024/12/03/us/bees-butterflies-pollinator-charities-iyw-climate-scn?cid=ios_app