What herbs attract bees?
Some of the best ones for bees are chives, which are an absolute bee magnet at my garden. Borage, lavender, mint, thyme, basil and one of my favorite herbs, lemon balm are also great choices. For cooks and gardeners, many of these herbs are grown for the leaves, but the bees are interested in the flowers. Neem, Mint, Citronella, Eucalyptus, and Cloves are some of the most common and effective ways to repel bees. They are easy to grow in pots and don’t require a lot of maintenance. Bee repellents such as marigold and germanium can also be a very effective way to keep them at bay.Bees dislike strong scents such as peppermint, citronella, clove, and geranium. Spraying diluted essential oils or placing these natural deterrents around patios and outdoor areas can help keep bees at bay.Lemongrass oil: beekeepers often use it in bait hives or swarm traps to lure wild swarms or capture swarms from their own colonies. Proper usage: a few drops of lemongrass oil on a cotton ball or absorbent material can be placed inside a bait hive or swarm trap to attract bees.Wax: The best bait is beeswax, which can quickly attract a swarm of bees. Beeswax is the most reliable bait, because it retains its properties for a long time. All other baits cannot last long in the hive and must be replenished or replaced when the old supply is exhausted or destroyed.Many bees feed on the nectar from flowers. Since nectar is sweet, it makes sense that bees would be attracted to sugars and fragrances that smell flowery or sweet. That’s why you may notice bees at your picnic, especially if you’re drinking sugary sodas or eating fruits, such as pineapple and watermelon.
What herbs are best for butterflies?
Herbs for a pollinator garden By visiting flowers that grow in clusters they spend less energy flying from bloom to bloom. Bees are especially interested in these clustered flowers. Cilantro, dill, fennel, bronze fennel, and parsley are all host plants for swallowtail butterfly species. Native bees are the super-pollinators of the garden! While honey bees have their place, it’s actually these solitary bees, such as mason bees and leafcutter bees, that are critical to growing food and flowers.Plants that attract native bees include: Flowers such as anise hyssop, black-eyed susans, coneflowers, catmint, cleome, penstemon, globe thistle, milkweed, monarda (bee balm), coreopsis, daisies, phlox, gaillardia, and yarrow are bee magnets.While not a top pollinator plant, its flowers may attract bees and other small insects. Its dense foliage also provides minor cover for beneficial bugs in the garden.
How to increase the number of butterflies?
Provide food for caterpillars and choose nectar-rich plants for butterflies and you’ll have a colourful, fluttering display in your garden for many months. While just about any flower with nectar can be a treat for butterflies, it is a slightly different story for caterpillar food or ‘host’ plants. Choose Juicy Fruits Butterflies will use their proboscis to sip fruit juice just as they would flower nectar. Fruits like strawberries, mangoes, oranges, and watermelon are ideal.