Habitat assessment by Sheryl Yamamoto

Sheryl Yamamoto's picture
Assessment results
Answer givenOur advice
Are there areas dead wood, brush piles or snags present?: 
No
Leave some dead wood, brush or snags in your habitat. Cavity nesting bees spend their winters in the holes found in these items.
Are there areas with pithy twigs (elderberry, cane fruit, sumac, etc…)?: 
No
Add some plants that have pithy stems to your habitat. Cavity nesting bees spend their winters in the center of the stems of these plants.
Are there bee nesting blocks?: 
No
Supplement your habitats with nest blocks. Learn how to build them here.
What is the main type of vegetation in the area you are evaluating (park, garden, yard, farm...)?: 
Mix of native and non-native plants
Increase the amount of native plants in your yard.
How much of the whole yard, park, farm or green space is garden space or wild/natural vegetation?: 
Some. Between 21-40%.
Consider expanding your gardens and wild spaces and reducing your lawn.
How much of the garden is planted with flowering annual or perennial plants (including shrubs, vegetables and trees)?: 
Some (25-50%)
Consider supplementing your garden with some native, pollinator friendly plants and converting some lawn!
Are the flowering plants that you have pollinator friendly?: 
A lot (51-75%)
Considering adding more pollinator friendly plants.
How many flowers in your garden bloom in spring?: 
4-6
Add 4-6 more kinds of spring flowers.
How many flowers in your garden bloom in fall?: 
4-6
Add 3-4 more fall flowers to support fall bees.
How many flowers in your garden bloom in summer?: 
4-6
Add 2-3 more types of summer flowers to support summer bees.
How much mulch is on the ground?: 
Everywhere.
Ground nesting bees can't dig through mulch. Consider leaving some areas simply bare ground.
Is there fresh, clean water always available with a perch that bees could stand on and drink?: 
No
Consider adding a water element. This can be as simple as a bowl with some rocks thrown in for bees to stand on while drinking.
How many different pollinator counts will your contribute this year?: 
Ten or more.
We'd love to see pollinator counts from any of the plants in your garden as many times as you can contribute. Thanks for contributing!

Score: 139 (out of a possible 210)

We are planning to add more native plants and more vegetables/flowers to our home garden. Need more info on how to make it a more bee friendly habitat

Which garden or space are you describing?: 
5513 Rogers Street, davis ca
How large is your yard?: 
860.00
square yards
Are there areas with bare ground and very few plants?: 
Yes
Are there areas with sandy loamy soil?: 
Yes
Are there low traffic areas where the soil is not turned over, tilled or plowed?: 
Yes
Do you have native bunchgrasses?: 
Several areas or one large area.
Are flowers planted in clumps?: 
Yes.
Does the garden use herbicides?: 
No.
Are pesticides used in the garden?: 
No