Join the Hunt for Bees

This season, we are planting Lemon Queen sunflowers in the garden, and hunting for bees. The Great Sunflower Project asks that we use that variety because it is especially attractive to the bees. We can help them in a fun and easy way, with this citizen science study. How do we start the hunt?

Plant sunflowers, tell about the garden;
watch bees come to visit the flowers,
and report how many bees you spy.

The kids will love this as much as adults. Gazing at the garden, we are doing an important science project! Ah, Spring...

Similar to The Great Backyard Bird Count, the bee study seeks to collect data from around the country. It tells us, "Bees: Responsible for Every Third Bite of Food." The populations of wild bees are declining, and we need more information about them. What does the loss of pollinators mean for urban and rural gardens?

It is sometimes confusing to identify the insects. There are good resources on the study's Resources for Teachers, and a bee guide link is on the bottom of the page.

Our area is famous for hornets. If you see one of these, you know to look out for them. We discovered this nest in winter and learned that hornets are actually predators; they will eat bees for lunch. Now, we really want to help the bees.

We picked up Lemon Queen sunflower seeds from the local Lowe's Home Improvement for about $1.25. The Great Sunflower Project also uses certain other flowers to build their data. It's simple to sign up, and a great thing to add to your garden plan!