Over 90 percent of bee species are ground-nesting or cavity-nesting solitary bees requiring specific habitat features that garden management can either provide or destroy.
The diversity of bee species is far greater than most people realize, and each species has specific habitat requirements that standard garden management often eliminates. Mulching bare soil destroys ground-nesting sites. Cutting hollow stems removes nest cavities. Lawn chemicals kill nest-site vegetation. Creating diverse habitat that includes bare ground, hollow stems, and varied native plantings supports hundreds of bee species and the ecosystem services they provide.