Bee FAQ

Q: What do bees need to survive? How can I help?

A: Bees need 3 things to survive:
Food: the flowers in your Bloom pollinator garden will provide the nectar that bees eat
Water: your Bloom planter will also include rocks and supplies to create a safe drinking spot for bees
Shelter: most bees live inside tree branches or in the ground (only some species live in hives). The bees that visit your Bloom planter probably already have a safe home.

And of course, avoid using insecticides (chemicals that kill insects) on your plants!
 

Q: Can I get honey from my bees?

A: Unfortunately not. Only a few species of bees live in hives and make honey. And even if you do have honey-producing bees nearby, collecting the honey is tricky and best left to experts with specialized equipment.
 

Q: How many bees will I see?

A: It's hard to predict the amount of bee traffic you'll see because it will vary based on your location, garden setup, and neighbors' landscaping. A safe assumption is you'll be visited by at least a few bees per day during their most active seasons (late spring through summer).
 

Q: What if I don't want a beehive in my yard or on my balcony?

A: Don't worry! 90% of bee species in North America are solitary, meaning they don't fly back to a hive. Odds are your garden will be visited by many individual wandering bees.
 

Q: Will I get stung?

A: Bees only sting as a defense mechanism, which means that if you avoid picking them up or mistreating them, they'll usually do their thing and let you do yours. If you are allergic to bee stings, it's best to place your pollinator garden in an area you don't visit often, just to be safe.