Early Pollinators
We haven’t had much of a winter, and yet spring is already knocking at the door! The Great Backyard Bird Count (February 13–16) was a great start to waking up those observational skills. Now it’s time to start watching for those early pollinators.

Early Pollinators to Watch For
The Anna’s Hummingbirds remain all year, but March brings many bonuses, like the arrival of Rufous Hummingbirds and the emerging Yellow‑faced Bumblebees (Bombus vosnesenskii) and Mourning Cloak Butterflies. Maybe you are one of our locals who enjoys releasing Mason bees. (Did you know that the Blue Orchard Mason Bee (Osmia spp.) can do the pollination work of 100 honeybees?)
Other early guests to our gardens include Black‑tailed Bumblebees (Bombus melanopygus), Sweat Bees (Halictidae spp.), and Mining Bees (Andrena spp. – small fuzzy bees that nest in the ground). There are also Bee Flies (Bombyliidae), Hoverflies (Syrphid flies – they look like tiny wasps and their larvae eat aphids!), the California Tortoiseshell Butterfly (it winters in the forest), and early spring Native Moths.
Our temperate, damp coastal climate (Zone 7/8) gives us an earlier start than much of Canada. Aren’t we lucky! However, the energy reserves of these little critters are low and natural nectar sources are few, so by choosing the right plants we can help provide a vital lifeline. By learning which pollinators emerge early and how to support them, we can make a real difference in their survival.

Rufous Hammingbird Rocky Point Bird Observatory- jmoran	Yellow-faced Bumblebee iNaturalist photo	Mourning Cloak Butterfly pixabay image	Caliornia Tortoiseshell Butterfly butterfliesandmoths.org

 

Stanley Park Ecology Sociey poster	Blue Orchard Mason Bee

 

What a lovely illustration! It is by Nancy Seiler from the USDA PDF Attracting Pollinators to Your Garden Using Native Plants

Native Plants That Support Them
Most of our native pollinators are attuned to the blooming of native plants, and a walk through our Belcarra trails will show you why we are in an ideal area! Some parts of Belcarra are a few degrees cooler, so our natives may be blooming a few weeks later than in other areas.
* You will be noticing Willow (Salix) catkins, Heather, Crocuses, and Snowdrops already.
* Known as a “Pollinator Magnet,” the Red Flowering Currant (Ribes sanguineum) tops the list as the number one spring favourite. Returning hummingbirds and early bumblebee queens adore them. It enjoys full sun to partial shade and thrives in well‑drained, rocky soils.
*Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis) is next, being one of the first berries to flower. Moist, partly shaded spots are preferred.
*Oregon Grape (Mahonia aquifolium) has cheerful yellow flower clusters that “buzz with bees” in early spring. Birds enjoy the blueberries later on. It is one of the super‑hardy plants that tolerate almost all conditions.
*The white blossoms of Western Trillium (Trillium ovatum) are a classic sign of coastal spring. You’ll find them in shady areas with rich, humus soil.
*Evergreen Huckleberry (Vaccinium ovatum) blooms a bit later (April–May). Bees love the delicate, bell‑shaped flowers. It prefers partial shade and acidic soil.
*Osoberry (Indian Plum, Oemleria cerasiformis) has small white flowers that smell like watermelon. It adapts to sun or shade.
*Western Bleeding Heart (Dicentra formosa) loves moist, rich soil and shade. The delicate pink flowers are loved by butterflies and long‑tongued bees.

Red flowering Currant	Salmonberry	Oregon Grape Mahonia
Western Trillium	Evergreen Huckleberry	Bleeding Heart

Indian Plum		Nootka Rose

How You Can Help in Our Own Gardens and at Home
*As you may already be aware, do NOT clean up all those messy leaves until temperatures are consistently about 10 °C. Many local butterflies, like the Mourning Cloak, and other insects hibernate in leaf litter.
*Create a “puddle station.” Bees need water but can easily drown. Place a shallow dish with stones in it near your flowers.
*Skip pesticides and herbicides. Early spring is when pollinators are most vulnerable.
* Consider turning off outdoor lights at night. Our native moths are important for pollinating night‑blooming natives.

Many nurseries now sell native plants (don’t disturb our parks!). Look for a “BC Native” tag. These plants are adapted to our soil, our rain, our summers! (Note: it seems that Dandelions aren’t very nutritious, so don’t rely on that tactic!) Later on, you could think about succession planting so that food sources for our pollinators continue well past spring.

• March: Red Flowering Currant, Salmonberry, Indian Plum
• April: Pacific Bleeding Heart, Western Trillium, Lupines
• May: Nootka Rose, Ocean Spray
• June–July: Mock Orange, Red Columbine, Bee Balm
• August–September: Goldenrod, Asters
• October: Sedum — and leave seed heads for overwintering insects

Fun fact: Native bees are three times more effective pollinators than honeybees for local plants. Every small garden choice helps support our local pollinators—and the ecosystems that depend on them.Why not indulge your early gardening spirit and add just one early‑blooming pollinator plant to your garden this month!

Local Resources

• BGC – Belcarra Garden Club
• Burke Mountain Naturalists events
• Metro Vancouver’s Pollinator Pathway initiative
• iNaturalist