Jenny Deans gave a presentation and workshop at One Planet Market, Sustainable Communities SA, on how to create an environment in your garden which protects and encourages native bees in your neighbourhood. Jenny discussed the importance of native bees in the pollination specifically of Australian native plants.
Some key points in encouraging native bees in your environment include:
- Providing an environment where native bees can take refuge. They prefer undisturbed soil and flora locations
- Avoiding the use of insecticides. Even the best quality organic compounds can kill native bees
- Planting native flora to encourage native bees into your garden
- Making bee habitat by either creating nests from twigs or boring small holes into dead tree trunks
Jenny discussed the research carried out by Dr Katja Hogendoorn on native bees, which also included instructions on how to create native bee habitat. Jenny also provided literature to support her presentation as well as an e-mail providing more detail on where to get more information and resources.
The workshop focussed on building bee habitat using simple household items such as a tin can, toilet roll and bundles of woody plant cuttings from a plant which naturally has a hole in its core. By bundling the sticks tightly inside the toilet roll, then placing into the tin can, a wire can then be attached through the can to support it in a tree within your garden.
Jenny Deans (B.E. Dip. Hort.) is a member of Sturt Upper Reaches Landcare Group as well as the Old School Community Garden at Stirling.
References
University of Adelaide 2017, Dr. Katja Hogendoorn, viewed on 18 March, 2017, http://www.adelaide.edu.au/directory/katja.hogendoorn.