Wild Bee Care in the Spring

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Wild Bee Care in the Spring

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Summary

Season 8 Episode 5: About Bees, Culture & Curiosity Podcast – Wild Bee Care in the Spring

This podcast episode featured Ilan Domnich, the native bee stewardship specialist with the Alberta Native Bee Council, discussing how to support native bees in spring. Ilan explained that Alberta has 370 species of native bees, with 70% overwintering underground and 30% in plant stems or elsewhere, emphasizing the importance of leaving leaf litter ("Leave the leaves.") until temperatures consistently reach 10 degrees Celsius (50F) and preserving hollow plant stems. We chatted about dandelions and their dubious benefit for bees, clarifying that while they provide early season nectar, dandelions lack essential nutrients and can divert bees from higher-quality food sources. Ilan recommended three key actions for homeowners: - delaying spring cleanup, - planting native early-blooming flowers like Saskatoon berries and crocuses, and - creating bare soil patches for ground-nesting bees. The episode concluded with information about the Alberta Native Bee Council's bumblebee box monitoring program, where people can create habitats and contribute to scientific research. Alberta Native Bee Council: https://www.albertanativebeecouncil.ca/

Recorded in Calgary, May 2026

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Podcast website: https://sites.libsyn.com/540327/site
About Ron Miksha: https://about-bees.org/about-ron/

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