The Great Sunflower Project

I don't think it will effect the survey but I would note that when giving info or describing the garden. I'm also a beekeeper with 4 hives on my property. I have to say, I've read studies and comments made by professors who say Honey Bees result in fewer native bees because of the competition. And they're made out to be stealing the native bees food. ... but then they make odd claims such as Native bees are better pollinators, they fit in the flowers better, some have longer tongues. They ignore things like Honey Bees tend to go towards the richest source of pollen/nectar around, while native bees rarely fly more than half a mile from their home and follow a more browsing pattern. (Notice how Honey Bees are the only bee to have the waggle dance to tell the other bees where the food is. Native bees just fly around to whatever looks good.)

Honey bees have hives that maintain populations of a few 40,000 to 80,000 bees. Most natives are either solitary or have hives that die off every year and need to be restarted by new queens the following year. Yes they will effect the amount of food in an area and it can be said they are "stealing" food from the native bees but I believe there's still enough going around. Anyone providing a lush garden (slanted towards Native Plants and full year blooming) probably won't see much of a dent in bee populations.

Probably the greatest factor for Native Bee populations is habitat. The logging of 70% of eastern America's forest land has done more damage than the honey bee's introduction to America. Bumblebees us former Rodent nests in tall grass and or burrows. Digger/Mining bees tend to nest in sand or loam on hill sides, and sometimes use "Not so Lush" lawns. Carpenter Bees (big and small) use dead wood, some species only use it at certain heights; meaning a dead limb to a tree. Mason Bees tend to use preexisting holes from former carpenter bees and or certain types of beetles that board in wood.