Inviting Pollinators: Learn What Attracts Ground Bees

Ground bees have a lot of benefits for our ecosystem. Also, sometimes they can become a problem for you. So, we should know what attracts ground bees and what repels them.

Having ground bees in your garden will increase flowers and fruits. The reason behind it is most of the ground bees are pollinators. So, attracting them to your garden will increase its beauty.

Also, there are ground-nesting bees that are aggressive. So, if you have such bees, you have to get rid of them.

So, this blog post is going to be helpful for both of these purposes. If you know what attracts ground bees, you can either attract or will be able to get rid of them too. So, this blog post will mainly help you in the following ways.

1. Providing information about what attracts ground bees.
2. How to repel ground bees.
3. I will also share some tips on how to attract ground bees in your garden.

 

 

Why To Attract Ground Bees

The contribution of bees to our ecosystem is undeniable. Having them around will treat you in plenty of ways. Not only they will pollinate plants they also help keep balancing our ecosystem.

Because of their countless benefits, we should attract them. Because they will increase the beauty of your garden. Also, provides food sources for a lot of other beneficial predators.

 

Moreover, they are not aggressive at all. Also, they won’t last long in your region. They will live only for a few weeks up to 8 weeks. 

 

 

Benefits Of Ground Bees

The benefits of ground bees can’t be counted in numbers. Following are their most significant benefits for our ecosystem.

1. Pollination: Most of the ground bees are contributing to pollination. So, having ground bees in your garden will increase crop production.
2. Seasonal Fruits: There are a lot of seasonal fruits which unable to be produced without pollination by ground bees. Such foods include cherry, blueberry, strawberry, etc. Thus having ground bees around will increase the seasonal fruit production.
3. Improve Soil Quality: Ground bees usually create their nest in the ground by digging soil. They pour ground cavities with pollen and nectar collected from flowers. By doing so the soil quality is improved.
4. Natural Pest Control: Ground bees can prey some harmful pests like caterpillars, aphids, etc. 
5. Provide Food Source To Predators: There are a lot of helpful predators that prey on ground bees. So, having ground bees around will invite other helpful predators too.
6. Nutritious Food For Your Pets: Ground bees are rich in protein and nutrients. So, if you have pets like bearded dragons, cats, birds, etc. they can be fed ground bees. Make sure to feed them ground bee larvae. Because adult ground bees can be harmful as food as they contain sting.

 

N.B. Having ground bees inside your house may invite woodpeckers. This could be harmful to your house. So, make sure ground bees are in your yards on garden not inside your household.

 

 

 

What Attracts Ground Bees

Ground bees are attracted to a place where the soil is perfect for nesting and enough food sources around. So, ground bees will be attracted to a place where enough plants, water sources, and nesting sites are available.

 

I personally do not like ground bees in the past. Because once ground bees have damaged several furniture in our house. Those ground bees were found chewing through wooden materials. For this, my mother doesn’t like them at all.

But last spring I noticed some ground bees in our yards. I let them be there and didn’t disturb them. Surprisingly after a few days, I noticed a blast production of different fruits in my garden.

I love strawberries and different types of cherries. So, there are different types of such plants in my garden. After having ground bees in my garden I have seen 50% more production of such fruits than the previous year.

I also discovered during the end of the summer there were no ground bees. So, they left the place.

Then I wondered how I could attract them to my yards. I have started researching about what are the things that attract ground bees. Here is what I got working on attracting ground bees.

1. Flowering Plants: Pollen and nectar are bee’s primary foods. So, having flowering plants is the first step in attracting them.
2. Sandy Or Loose Soil: Ground bees select sandy or loose soil for their nesting site. So, such soil will attract ground bees.
3. Rocks & Wooden materials: Rock piles, and old and poor-quality wooden materials are great for nesting. So, ground bees will be attracted if they find such things around.
4. Sunny Spot: Ground bees are most active during days in sunny areas. So, obviously, they are attracted to such gardens where sunny spots are available.
5. Seasonal Flower and Fruits Plants: Ground bees are especially more active during spring. That is because of spring plants. So, if they found such plants around they would be attracted more than anything else.
6. Less Disturbance: Ground bees don’t like to be disturbed by others. As most of them are solitary in nature and not defensive. So, they will prefer such a place for nesting which is far from humans and other predators.
7. Sweet Odors: Sweet odors are very attractive to bees. The smell of lemongrass oil is very attractive to bees.

In brief ground, bees will be attracted to a place where a nesting site, flower plants, water source, and sunny spots are available.

But remember ground bees are not attracted to all plants. They also don’t like a few plants. If you have such plants in your garden then ground bees won’t live there. They also don’t like a few specific things that you have to keep in mind.

 

 

Natural Repellents Of Ground Bees

Following are the natural repellents that keep ground bees away.

1. Repellent Plants: There are plenty of plants that ground bees do not like. Those include cucumber, basil, lavender, Eucalyptus, Lemon grass, etc. These plants strongly discourage ground bee’s existence. 
2. Essential Oils: Ground bees do not like peppermint, cinnamon, lavender oil, and many other essential oils.
3. Citrus Oils: Ground bees do not like the smell of citrus oils like lemon oil and orange oil. So, having these around will prevent ground bees from creating nests.
4. Pesticides: Pesticides are harmful to bees. So, if you use pesticides in your garden this will remove ground bees.
5. Use Of Chemicals: Bleach is a strong repellent of bees. The use of soap water, detergents, vinegar, bleach, and other household cleaner will be harmful to bees. Such chemicals will repel bees from your garden.

If you don’t want ground bees in your garden you can have any of these repellents in your garden. These will effectively keep ground bees away from your garden. You can get rid of ground bees following the instructions I have discussed in one of my other posts.

But if you want to invite ground bees in your yard, make sure these repellents should not be in your garden.

 

 

 

Some Tips On How To Attract Ground Bees In Your Garden

I am trying different methods to attract ground bees in my garden. Some of those methods really worked and some didn’t work at all. Also, I have done sometime wrongs for which the bees left my gardens a few times over the year.

So, after learning over the years I came to know what actually attracts ground bees. So, here are some tips that you must follow to attract ground bees in your garden.

• Plant Different flowering plants in your garden.
• Don’t use insecticides everywhere in your garden. If you need to use pesticides you may apply it to the plants. Try not to spray in the ground.
• Leave some sandy and lossy soil in your garden.
• Make sure there are small water sources that can be used by bees.
• Don’t plant ground-repellent plants.
• Don’t use chemicals like bleach, vinegar, cleaner, etc.
• Make sure your garden has enough sun-exposed spots to attract ground bees.
• Try to keep diversity about selecting plants for your garden. Plant different colors, types, and shapes of flower and fruit plants.

If you can follow these tips you will see ground bees in your garden soon. Also, you will see a blast in the crop production in your region.

 

 

 

Frequently Asked Questions About Ground Bees

 

 

 

 

Final Words

Hopefully, now you have a clear concept about what attracts ground bees. Also, you learned how you can attract ground bees. Also, if ground bees become a problem you can easily get rid of them using ground bee repellents.

You have also got to know the benefits of ground bees. So, if you think of helping our ecosystem you must help these tiny creatures.

If you still have any doubt why should you invite ground bees in your garden? Then leave it. You don’t deserve a beautiful garden 😉 .