Squash Bees

 

Who doesn't love a pumpkin patch? Pumpkins all shapes sizes and colors, gorgeous blooms, and a canopy of green leaves. Lots of bees buzzing around doing their thing and pollinating. Most gardeners appreciate the fact that pollinators are necessary and important when it comes to pumpkins and squash.

Cucurbits have separate male and female flowers.  The pollen is too heavy to be carried by wind and must be moved by pollinators from male to female flowers in order for a squash to develop

. Bees are the best suited for this job but it might surprise you which bee is most efficient at this job.  Meet the native squash or gourd bee!  These bees look similar to honey bees but while a honey bees legs are hairless the squash bees legs are hairy.  The hairs allow dry pollen to collect on the legs.

Squash bees are solitary with the female bee digging a vertical tunnel 1 to 2 feet deep with numerous compartments.  She deposits a pollen ball and lays an egg in  these compartments underground.  She will continues this throughout the end of summer unto she dies.

The squash bees emerge the following summer when squash flowers bloom.  By reducing tilling you help these amazing pollinators survive and in turn they help you. While other bees such as honey bees, carpenter bees, and bumble bees will also come visit your squash, The squash bees sole source of pollen is gourds, squash, and pumpkins.  They do not visit watermelon or cucumbers which are in the same family.

Squash bee nests among pumpkin vines

Since they are active in the early morning hours avoid spraying at this time.  Use pesticides that target your pest instead of broad spectrum non selective chemical sprays.  I only use Neem and organic pyrethrin only if squash bugs are present and after monitoring and squashing eggs and adults.