Reflections

Bees on a cactus, Phoenix Botanical Garden

Colonies of bees or hives are so crucial to plant reproduction that the term 'birds and bees' has become a euphemism for learning about human sexuality. Yet for whatever reason, hives in some parts of the United States are experiencing over 60 percent mortality rates, cause for worry among farmers and gardeners everywhere.
As I go about the challenge of creating a new garden this summer, good soil and plenty of sun are only part of the equation to consider. I need to think about sharing that space with the birds, bees and butterflies without which

Cosmos in the author's garden

plant life in the garden cannot flourish.
A blossom's fragrance can attract bees to a garden. But then apparently bees also are fond of anything blue. The website honeylove identifies 30 common plants from cosmos and asters to bluebells, lavender and sunflowers that are apiary friendly.  Many double as butterfly or hummingbird magnets.  And much to my delight most of them are on my personal gardener's list of  all-time favorite perennials.
Threatened as bees have become, they are savvy about survival. Teamwork matters. They communicate with one another through 'dance' and release of pheromones to avoid plants where pollen has been harvested recently. That handy bit of knowledge saves energy as the bees forage in the garden for food. Bees also pick up on the electrical fields surrounding flowers that tell them whether to bother stopping for lunch or if some other bee already has beat them to the punch.
Like bats, bees inspire both fascination and vague feelings of anxiety. Parks in the American Southwest have had problems in recent years with aggressive strains of bees 'attacking' hikers in the wild. Having been stung a time or time, I'll admit the tiny creatures sometimes make me a bit edgy as I am working alongside them on a hot summer day.  But coexistence is essential. Without bees, gardens would cease to be.