Busy Bees
Creating a Native Bee Sanctuary in Your Spokane Landscape
When most people think of bees, honeybees come to mind — but the Spokane region is home to an extraordinary community of native bees that are often more effective pollinators and far more fascinating than their famous cousin. With over 200 native bee species found across eastern Washington and northern Idaho, our Inland Northwest landscapes support everything from chunky bumblebees and metallic green sweat bees to tiny masked bees and the striking blue orchard mason bee. These native species are remarkably efficient pollinators — a single mason bee, for example, can do the work of dozens of honeybees in an apple orchard. Attracting this diversity starts with planting a rich variety of flowering natives suited to Spokane's dry, four-season climate. Native sunflowers, buckwheats, phacelia, and gumweed are all outstanding choices that bloom across the season and provide the specific pollen and nectar profiles that native bees have evolved to seek out. Unlike honeybees, many native species are highly specialized, visiting only a narrow range of plants — so the greater the variety of natives you grow, the broader the community of bees you'll welcome into your yard.
Providing nesting habitat is just as important as planting flowers, and it's where most Spokane gardeners have the greatest opportunity to make a real difference. Unlike honeybees, native bees don't live in hives — the vast majority are solitary, with each female independently building and provisioning her own nest. Roughly seventy percent of our native bee species nest in the ground, preferring sunny, sparsely vegetated patches of bare or loosely packed soil — the kind of open, well-drained ground that Spokane's natural shrub-steppe landscape provides in abundance. Leaving a south-facing slope undisturbed, keeping a small patch of bare garden soil, or pulling back mulch in a sunny corner can open up critical nesting real estate for dozens of ground-nesting species. The remaining native bees nest above ground in hollow plant stems, pithy twigs, or pre-existing wood cavities. Leaving ornamental grasses and perennial stems standing through winter, allowing a few dead branches to remain on shrubs, and setting out a simple bee house packed with paper tubes, check out Bob's Bee houses, or drilled wooden blocks can dramatically increase nesting opportunities for cavity-nesting species like mason bees and leafcutter bees — both of which are common and wonderfully industrious residents of Spokane yards.
Making your Spokane landscape a lasting native bee sanctuary comes down to three commitments: diversify your plants, minimize disturbance, and eliminate pesticides. A yard that trades thirsty turf for a low-water native meadow of bunchgrasses, wildflowers, and flowering shrubs not only conserves water in our semi-arid climate but creates the layered, textured habitat that native bees depend on for both foraging and nesting. Committing to a pesticide-free approach is non-negotiable — even products considered low-risk can be lethal to small native bee species and devastating to developing larvae sealed inside nest cells. Equally valuable is adjusting your seasonal cleanup habits — waiting until late spring to cut back stems, rake leaves, or disturb garden beds gives overwintering bees the time they need to complete their development and emerge safely. Our region's abundant sunshine, naturally open landscapes, and rich native plant heritage give Spokane gardeners a genuine head start in supporting native bees. With a few thoughtful choices, your yard can become a cornerstone of a healthier, more connected landscape for the remarkable wild bees that have called the Inland Northwest home.
