Bees are getting an early start to spring in NC. Why are they here now?
As spring nears and the weather warms up , nature’s greatest pollinators – bees – tend to come out of hibernation.
North Carolina is home to around 500 species of bees, according to Stan Schneider, a professor at UNC Charlotte’s Department of Biological Sciences who specializes in the biology and behavior of honeybees.
Most bees emerge in early spring, after remaining in their nests during the colder months, Schneider said.
But many have already started to appear.
“They then mate, and the mated females then are gathering pollen and searching for new nest sites,” Schneider explained. “That’s why you see so many flying around now. Their natural nesting cycle has evolved so it synchronizes with the blooming of plants in early spring.
Bee nesting sites depend on the species, Schneider said, adding that some like to nest in the ground by digging tunnels, while others find shelter in hollow stems and holes in wood.
“Bees can live just about anywhere as long as they have a food supply and nesting sites,” said Schneider. “That’s one thing great about bees is that, with minor modifications to our gardens, even in the middle of a city or on the rooftop of a building, you can attract large numbers of bees.”
How likely are bees to sting people?
Though coming up a large number of bees can be unsettling, the chances that they’ll sting is low, Schneider said.
“Bees only sting you if they feel physically threatened of if you are threatening their nest,” said Schneider. “As long as you leave them alone, they’ll leave you alone.”
How to treat a bee sting
Bee stings are generally low risk to those who don’t have allergies, Schneider said, and there are a variety of ways to heal them.
Schneider said the best way to treat a bee sting is to put ice on it to alleviate the pain and reduce swelling.
Dabbing a small amount of bleach on a bee sting can also be helpful to degrade the proteins in bee venom, Schneider suggested.
“When I was child, my mother would make a paste out of Ajax and just dab a little on the sting,” Schneider recalled. “But really, the best thing is ice.”
Over-the-counter pain receivers and antihistamines, such as Advil and Benadryl, can also help reduce the pain and itchiness of bee stings, according to Mayo Clinic.
How to keep bees away from your home
Since bees can thrive in virtually any environment, it can be tough to repel them, Schneider said.
Homes made of wood can be especially attractive for carpenter bees due to their potential for nesting sites.
“Once they get started building a nest, it’s almost impossible to get them to change their minds,” Schneider said. “That can do a lot of damage to a wooden structure.”
Bee traps can be effective, but Schneider suggested a more environmentally-friendly method to fend off the insects.
“If you put out other pieces of dead wood or larger hollow stems, you might be able to attract bees to those areas and leave your house alone,” Schneider said.
Bees and your garden
Bees are a critical part of many ecosystems because they are primary pollinators for many flowering plants, Schneider said. Without bees, many plants would be unable to reproduce.
“Bees pollinate virtually everything we eat,” Schneider said. “Every vegetable, fruit and nut, those are all pollinated by bees.”
The Mountain Mint, a group of plants native to North Carolina that are known for their strong minty fragrance, are effective in luring bees to gardens, according to the N.C. State Extension, an organization that provides information on agriculture, health and nutrition.
“It attracts pollinators more than any plant I’ve ever seen,” Schneider said. “It doesn’t make a real showy flower, but it’s a pretty flower.”
Other plants that attract pollinators, according to the N.C. State Extension, include:
Asters
Black-eyed Susan
Blazing Star
Coneflower
Daisy
Goldenrod
Milkweed
Piedmont Azalea
Sunflower
Swamp Rose
Bee houses, which consist of a bundle of hollow bamboo stems in different sizes, can draw bees to a garden, Schneider said, adding that they can be purchased at any hardware store or online.
