Wild bees including bumblebees and solitary species are essential pollinators facing significant declines from habitat loss and pesticide exposure.
Individual wild bee welfare is affected by availability of forage, nesting sites, and absence of pesticide exposure. Bees exposed to sublethal pesticide doses experience disorientation, reduced foraging efficiency, and colony health decline. Gardens managed with diverse native flowering plants, bare soil patches, and pesticide-free approaches provide essential habitat supporting millions of individual bees.