About 70% of plants need pollinators and 1/3 of our food sources depend on pollination. There are over 4,000 species of native bees in North America. The majority of crop pollination is done by the European Honeybee, a very important but non-native species. Native bees are also efficient pollinators, and can complement the crop pollination service provided by honey bees.
If sufficient habitat is available native bees can provide all the pollination that some crops need. You can help native bees by providing nesting sites, choosing plants for your yard that benefit native pollinators, and consider leaving hedgerows or portions of your field for pollinators. We have included resources here to help you learn more about native pollinators and how to support them on your land or yard.
For more information contact the Xerces Society, www.xerces.org, or JSWCD, NRCS, or OSU.