Bee City USA

The City of St. Joseph is proud to be a Bee City! 

Why BEEcome a Bee City?

Bees transfer pollen between flowers, enabling the incredible diversity of plants on our planet to flower and fruit. Pollinators are keystone species in essentially every ecosystem on earth, enabling the reproduction of over 85% of all flowering plants and 67% of agricultural crops. There are more than 20,000 described species of bees globally, and around 3,600 species of bees native to the United States. 

More than 2 out of 3 wild bees live underground in nests that can be hard to spot from the surface! Some dig down and lay their eggs several feet below ground, while others make nests near the soil surface or in hollowed out plant stems above ground. While bees are the most important pollinator, butterflies, moths, beetles, flies, wasps, and hummingbirds also contribute to pollination.

Research has shown significant declines in native pollinator population sizes and ranges globally. Up to 40% of pollinator species are at risk of extinction in the coming years as a result of a variety of environmental stressors including habitat loss, exposure to pesticides, diseases and pathogens, and climate change.

By becoming a Bee City, the City of St. Joseph is bringing attention to the decline in native pollinator populations and encouraging best practices for reducing this trend.  

How can you support the pollinators?

Consider planting a purposeful pollinator garden.  Use native plants for our area, and explore pollinator-friendly options for pest management.  

Native gardens are beautiful, but can be a lot to maintain.  Some ideas to consider are: 

• Start by planting native plants and/or wild flower gardens in small areas of your yard or in containers. 
• Maintain a buffer of about 36 inches from the sidewalk, driveway and public right of way to support a purposeful, polished look.  
• Avoid planting in the public right of way, including in tree lawns.  
• Limit the height of your plants to 18 inches anywhere that visibility may be an issue.  

What is a Bee City?

Bee City USA is an initiative of the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.Thinking globally and acting locally, Bee City USA provides a framework for communities to come together to conserve native pollinators by providing them with healthy habitat that is rich in a variety of native plants, provides nest sites, and is protected from pesticides. As the name suggests, the focus of Bee City USA is bees, and primarily native species. The steps a Bee City takes to conserve native bees, including creating safe habitats and hosting community events, also help other pollinators including butterflies and moths as well as the non-native honey bee. 

To become a Bee City, St. Joseph was required to establish a Bee City Committee and pass a resolution in support of the mission of Bee City USA, and promoting the vital role of pollinators by hosting annual educational events, creating pollinator-friendly habitats, sharing information online, and more.