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Bees need balance

One kind of pollen - in this case broom - doesn't cut it for pollinators

After reading Audrey Cameron’s letter in The NEWS (‘Broom feeds bees’) it makes me wonder yet again why someone would write in without doing their research.

Yes, Broom Busters are supposed to ask before cutting on private property. However, saying broom is great cause it feeds the bees is simplifying the issue.

First, from what I have read, only the larger species of bees can feed from broom flowers, excluding many of the smaller native species in this area. Second, broom tends to take over large areas and create a monoculture.

Bees need a wide variety of plants that flower throughout the warm months of the year so that they have food throughout the season. Having the monoculture of broom take over in clear areas, empty lots and so forth, it creates a habitat where there is a massive amount of pollen at certain times but there is very limited amounts at other times.

Balance is very important.

Sam Walker

 

Parksville