Native Bees & Pollinators
Apidae / Halictidae (native bee families)
Hundreds of native bee species call the Okanagan home — solitary ground-nesters, bumble bees, and tiny sweat bees that keep wildflowers and crops alive.
Field Note
Most native bees are solitary — they don't live in hives. A female digs a tiny underground nest, fills it with pollen and nectar, and lays a single egg in each cell.
Where to Spot It at ABNC
The Pollinator Garden is the best spot. Also look on Balsamroot and Penstemon blooms on sunny slopes in spring and early summer.
Why It Matters
Native bees are the primary pollinators of wild plants and many crops. Over 400 bee species occur in BC and many are declining due to habitat loss, pesticides, and climate change.
Good to Know
Bees carry pollen from flower to flower on their fuzzy bodies — without them, many plants couldn't make seeds or fruit!