According to the University of Idaho, it is estimated that more than one-third of every bite of food humans consume is thanks to native and managed pollinators.
PARMA, Idaho — There is a buzz of excitement in Parma.
What was once an overgrown patch of weeds is now a pollinator paradise.
It took a hive of activity to bring this project to life.
University of Idaho staff, master gardeners, and volunteers all came together to make a new pollinator garden at the University of Idaho Extension Office in Parma, thanks to a $10,000 grant from Dr. Barbara Petty.
“What goes into something like this is a lot. We number one invited the Canyon County Master Gardeners,” said Brad Stokes, Canyon County University of Idaho Extension Educator.
“I’ve been team lead for 8 years now,” said Maria Held, Canyon County Advanced Master Gardener.
“We had Parma staff help out a bunch with this project,” said Stokes.
“I participated in designing the garden, in the concept idea of bringing this garden to this area,” said Armando Falcon, the Parma University of Idaho Research and Extension Specialist.
“And then we had to source all the plants and irrigation to prep the site,” said Stokes.
The group of nearly 40 people cleared out rocks, brush, and trees to make way for more than 130 pollinator-friendly plants, irrigation, and even bee hotels.
And while you may ask, why are people buzzing about this? It’s because it’s protecting our agriculture.
“They’re critical for us,” said Falcon. “We don’t realize how much we rely on bees, but if we eat fruit, drink milk, and everything. I mean, 75% of the food we consume is because of the bees. So they’re critical in our environments.”
Idaho’s native pollinator species help home gardens, flowering plants, and agriculture operations across the state.
Butterflies, moths, beetles, flies, and primarily bees need habitat, nectar resources, and spaces to survive.
According to the University of Idaho, it is estimated that more than one third of every bite of food humans consume is thanks to native and managed pollinators.
Insects and agricultural operations rely on each other for pollination services, and without this, Idaho’s agricultural systems would see a direct decrease in yield and income.
“The importance of this can’t be understated here in Idaho, where there are over 720 native bee species,” said Stokes. “So everyone thinks of the honey bee, the alfalfa leaf cutting bee, maybe a bumble bee. We have way more bee species in Idaho than that. Probably 90% of them are going to be ground nesters, so we need to preserve that habitat and have nectar resources for them to forage on.”
There’s a science to what plants to add to a pollinator garden and what goes around those plants.
“If you’re dealing with insects you need to give them food for the whole season,” said Held. “Different insects come out at different times. You know, right now, we looked at the Maximilian sunflower, which is a late bloomer. We have some asters that are late bloomers. So this is all something if anybody thinks about incorporating into their home garden, make sure you have a wide selection of plants.”
Group similar plants together to make it easier for the insects to get their resource and leave a section of bare ground for bees to nest, because most are ground nesting, and mulch and bark prevent that, Held said.
“All of our bees are basically nesting in the soil around the ag fields, around their house, and we need to preserve them,” said Stokes. “We need to reduce pesticide use as a whole as a society and to plant these pollinator plants that are providing those nectar resources for their survival in the long run.”
The University of Idaho Parma Extension Office also allows researchers to test out different soil and flower mixes to see what does best, according to Stokes.
The Canyon County Master Gardener Program hosts classes to help you get a green thumb. You can find more information here.
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