Seven species of the Hawaiian Yellow-Faced bee have just been declared endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service. Struggling with habitat loss, and competition with invasive species, these solitary bees are the first species of bees to be protected under the Endangered Species Act. As a beekeeper, I care very much about the Honeybee, but solitary native pollinators are the ones threatened the most.

Solitary bees are much different than the well known Honeybee. While you'll still see them buzzing around flowers, where they decide to live is quite different. Instead of large hives, most solitary bees build nests in the ground, logs, hollowed out reeds, twigs, and in nooks and crannies they create for themselves or come across. Most don't make wax or even make honey, instead they store the pollen they collect with specialized pollen carrying structures on their body. Ever wonder why bumblebees are so fuzzy? It's so they can carry as much pollen as possible back to their nests underground. This makes them very efficient pollinators.

After the solitary bee lays as many eggs as possible, in one or more nests, it dies when winter comes. The young then emerge the following spring to mate, pollinate, nest, and die. It's a beautiful cycle that has been interrupted by human activity. Farming, deforestation, and urbanization has driven out native pollinators. Invasive pests and diseases like Tracheal mites, Varroa mites, American Foulbrood, and European Foulbrood, can be transferred from Honeybees to some species of solitary bees. Along with Broadcast Pesticides used during farming, aerial spraying for mosquitoes, and home/garden use of pesticides makes it even harder on the lonesome solitary bee.

While the solitary Yellow faced bee that's now endangered is a Hawaiian native, stuck on an island that is becoming more and more urbanized, it might be a precursor to what will come. If we don't start caring about pollinators now it could be too late by the time it starts to become a huge issue. The planets biodiversity depends on pollinators.

Here's how you can help:

Plant more flowers! it doesn't matter how pretty they look or where they are, chances are there are pollinators nearby. I will make a list that describes what flowers to plant in the Midwest soon!

Don't spray your lawn! You can get that crabgrass, but leave the clover and dandelions for the bees. Dandelions provide a great source for early spring pollen, a much needed food source for baby bees, and clover produces a large amount of the nectar necessary for the bees to keep on working. Clover is a huge fuel source for your local pollinators.

If you do use insecticides, don't use powder. If the bees land in your garden they can collect it on their fuzz, contaminating the vital food they carry. This can impact fertility, larval development, and could very easily kill the bees. Spray if you must, but pesticide powder is a lose-lose.

Build a bee hotel! http://extensionpublications.unl.edu/assets/pdf/g2... It provides a home for a variety of solitary bee. You can make several of them and put them at local parks, your own home, or even give them as gifts. The more you put out at various locations the more bees that you help directly.