Maintain patches or borders of flowering wild plants in and around your gardens. Bees depend on these for food and shelter. Wild plants protect and feed bees.
When crops flower, bees move from these patches and borders into the crops to pollinate them.
These are pictures of some examples of wild plants that are common in Uganda's agricultural landscapes.
Asystacia gigantica is a very common plant in many regions of Uganda. It grows well even on poor soils. It is a significant source of nectar for honeybees and skipper butterflies (another pollinator group).
Solanum incarnum (Sodom’s apple) is a favourite with Carpenter bees and Amegilla sp. bees.
Emilia discifolia is often visited by honeybees and other small (<5mm) bees in the families Halictidae and Megachilidae.
Justicia flava is a favourite with various species of Megachile sp., various species of Carpenter bees (Xylocopa spp.), honey bees (Apis mellifera).
Momordica foetida is better known for its medicinal properties. Its flowers are open for only a few hours, in the morning, when they get visited by a variety of small bees.
Bidens pilosa (Black jack) is a major source of pollen and nectar to many bees of Apidae and Halictidae in the dry season.
Cuphea hyssopifolia is an ornamental, commonly grown as a border for walkways. Honeybees, stingless bees and other tiny bees take nectar from it.