@theknottygarden: 🐝 Why the Bees Are Slowing Down? As autumn temperatures drop, bumblebees can no longer keep their bodies warm enough for steady flight. Cool air lowers their metabolism and slows the muscle activity that lets them generate heat, so they move more slowly and spend more time resting. 🍂 How They Survive the Winter When winter arrives, most of the colony dies. Only the newly mated queens survive by burrowing into soil and leaf litter to hibernate until spring. These queens are the future of next year’s population. 🌿 How You Can Help • Leave a natural layer of fallen leaves or mulch in parts of your yard. This provides insulation and safe hiding places for hibernating queens. • Avoid pesticides and herbicides that can harm bees directly or destroy their food sources. • Plant a variety of native flowers and shrubs to ensure nectar and pollen are available early next spring. • Offer water sources such as shallow dishes with pebbles when temperatures begin to warm. 🌎 Why It Matters Native bees, including bumblebees, mason bees, and tiny sweat bees, are powerhouse pollinators. They keep wild plant communities healthy and are critical for the fruits and vegetables we eat. Protecting their winter habitat is a simple but powerful act of land stewardship that helps keep entire ecosystems resilient. 💛 Follow for more science-backed garden tips and pollinator-friendly inspiration. 💬 Will you be leaving your leaf litter in your garden this year too? From my garden to yours, 🌸Erin

Erin Berkyto

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Region: CA

Thursday 17 September 2026 00:09:19 GMT