You've probably seen it on social media this summer: a shallow dish of sugar water, set out as a "bee hydration station" to help pollinators through heat and drought. It's a lovely instinct — but according to Dr. Richard Comont, science manager at the UK's Bee Conservation Trust, it isn't truly what bees need. Bumblebees and most other flower-visiting insects get essentially all the fluid they need straight from nectar, not from anything set out in a bowl.
Why sugar water misses the mark
- Real nectar isn't just sugar — it also carries sterols and amino acids that bees need, and a homemade mix can't replicate that
- Dr. Comont's recommendation: skip the dish, and make sure bees have real, blooming flowers nearby with a water source close by too
Why native plants matter
- Drought-stressed plants stop producing nectar once they run too dry — deep-rooted native plants keep reaching water long after lawns and ornamentals give up, so they keep making nectar when thirsty pollinators need it most
- Native plants handle heat waves the same way, staying in bloom and offering shade, when non-native plantings are more likely to stall without irrigation
- Because native plants are adapted for your region's rainfall, they need far less watering overall than a typical yard — good for bees, good for your water bill
The takeaway: the single best thing you can do for bees in summer isn't a bowl of sugar water on the patio. It's a yard of real, native, blooming plants — which will also need way less water than the yard you have now. And you can start on this in just a month or two — fall is one of the best times to plant natives. Our Greenprint Generator can help you map out exactly what to plant and where to get it.
(We've also written about how native plants help birds survive heat — same idea, different animal.)
Further Reading
- The Real Way to Save Bees During a Drought — Good News Network