If bookstores are any indication, it seems bees are getting lots of love these days. Lots of new resources and references are available on bees. So I thought I would share a few of the resources that I know of that might be of interest to any of you looking to expand your knowledge of these important insects.
- The Bees in Your Backyard, A Guide to North America’s Bees by Joseph S. Wilson & Olivia J. Messinger Carril. Princeton Univ. Press. I just ordered my copy, it looks like a great reference to the different families and genera of bees. Comes highly recommended by colleagues.
- The Xerces Society » Attracting Native Pollinators by Eric Mader, Matthew Shepherd, Mace Vaughan, and Scott Black in collaboration with Gretchen LeBuhn. Storey Publishing, North Adams, Massachusetts. Most recent book published by the insect conservation group will offer some practical suggestions for gardeners wishing to attract bees.
- Bees of the Great Lakes region and wildflowers to support them: a guide for farmers, gardeners and landscapers by Gibbs, J. Bennett, A. Isaacs, R. and J. Landis. 2015. Michigan State University Extension Bulletin E3282. A spiral bound pocket guide to bees and the plants they love. This guide is written for the Great Lakes region, but should be useful even for Texas gardeners.
- Pollinator Partnership EcoRegion Planting Guides. Not a book, but a series of pdf documents listing recommended pollinator plants for different ecological zones in the U.S. (Texas is mostly Prairie Parkland) Definitely a good resource for any gardener wanting to plant a pollinator garden.
Good luck with your garden season this year. And remember that planting a wide variety of nectar and pollen plants that bloom throughout the spring, summer and fall is the best way to preserve pollinators for Texas.