Have you noticed something missing from your garden this year? Where are all the honeybees?!

Honeybees are not a native American species. They were brought here by the colonists. Still, they are very important because they are prolific pollinators. And about a third of the crops in this country depends on pollinators, with the heaviest reliance on honeybees.

It's the age old story of "the birds and the bees." Plants need help so that they can reproduce. The squash, cuke, tomato or other plant puts out flowers. These flowers draw insects or other creatures such as bats or hummingbirds to dine on the nectar and pollen. As they move through the garden collecting the good stuff extra pollen is carried on their wings or bodies to other flowers, fertilizing them as they buzz from one to another.

The experts say that we can blame the absence of honeybees on a weird situation called colony collapse disorder. Normally when honeybees leave the hive, they come home again. With colony collapse disorder, for some strange reason, they have not been returning. Scientists have yet to determine exactly why the honeybees have gone MIA. Several reasons are obvious, though. One of these reasons is a decline in the pollinators' natural habitats. Another reason is the use of pesticides that are highly toxic to bees. Other threats to the bees includes newly introduced diseases and pests.

The North American Pollinator Protector Campaign encourages these strategies for combating the decline of these vital agricultural helpers.

Plant colorful and long-flowering perennials and annuals in mass clusters. Let the goldenrod, which many consider a weed, grow because this is a favorite of pollinators. More esthetically appealing flowers that draw bees and butterflies are coneflowers (echinacea), sunflowers and asters; the eupatoriums such as joe-pye weed; or if those are still too weedy-looking for your garden, petunias, impatiens, zinnias and marigolds will do the job. In the herb garden, members of the carrot family are very attractive to the smaller pollinators because of their umbels, or dome-like flowers. Dill and angelica are among the most popular, as well as parsley in bloom.

Another way to welcome pollinators to your garden is to avoid pesticides. If you absolutely must use spray, read the instructions carefully to avoid over-application. Spray on a calm day, when the wind is not likely to blow the poison beyond the area that needs it. Try to use the pesticides at the time of day when there are the least number of pollinators nearby.

To find out much more, please visit the Pollinator Protectors website at www.pollinator.com.



These are US postage stamps issued last month to call attention to the need to protect pollinators.