Number 14 in the KNOW YOUR WILD BEES CAMPAIGN.

Plant biodiversity is the answer to the bigger question of how do we keep all our bee species around. Planting flowers is always a good thing, this definitely increases the overall number of bees in any location. However, what it does is increase the overall number of generalist bees, that are happy to make do with many kinds of flowers, and often do well simply on weeds. The truth is that to affect conservation of all bee species we have to retain wild areas, maintain natural areas, and be the caretakers of rich, bio diverse, plant communities that provide the necessary pollen for all the species, particularly the ones that are highly specialized and therefore using plants we are unlikely to plant in our gardens or in pollinator meadows. Look around you, what can you do to help keep plant communities healthy; pull invasive species, provide disturbance in those environments that are early successional, control deer populations, and support others who do these things professionally. Good luck pilgrim.