You are doing a real service to support bees in the North Texas area (both honeybees and native bees). But beware, watching bees can become addictive. Did you know that honeybees are not native to the US? They still play a crucial role in the pollination of our food crops. Native bees, like the bumblebee, work hard to pollinate other native plants in our area. The best strategy is to have some plants blooming at all possible times so that it is not a feast or famine situation for the bees. Also create bee habitats in your garden space so that our native bees have places to overwinter and nest.
Not sure who to call if a swarm of honeybees winds up in your yard? Check out the Texas Apiary Inspection Service. If it is truly a swarm and not a hive, the honeybees will move on in a few days. They are simply looking for a new home. Give them space and see if they go on their way.
Following is a list of favored flowering plants, vines, and shrubs.
Annuals
- Alyssum
- Begonia
- Poppy
- Cockscomb
- Cosmos
- Fuchsia
- Larkspur
- Love-in-a-Mist
- Mexican Sunflower
- Moss Rose
- Snapdragon
- Stock
- Sweet Pea
- Zinnia
Perennials
- Aster
- Clovers
- Columbine
- Geranium
- Lambs Ear
- Mallows
- Mums
- Scabiosa
- Gregg’s Mistflower
- Sage and Salvia
Vines
- Black-eyed Susan Vine
- Cantaloupe
- Clematis
- Cucumber
- Gourds
- Honeysuckle
- Jasmine
- Morning Glory
- Passion Flower
- Pumpkin
- Squash
Shrubs
- Azalea
- Barberry
- American Beautyberry
- Boxwood
- Butterfly Bush
- Cherry Laurel
- Cotoneaster
- Crape Myrtle
- Fire Thorn
- Flowering Quince
- Hydrangea
- Spirea
- Viburnum
- Weigela
- Wisteria
For more info about other pollinators check out the entries under Pollinator Basics and the four B’s “In the Garden”