Squash Bees

California's squash crop was worth $30 million in 2015, this was second highest in the US. Eat your squash! It is a source of protein, vitamins A, B6, C, and K, thiamin, niacin, phosphorus, folate, magnesium, potassium, and fiber. Although growers rent honey bees for pollination, much squash and pumpkin pollination is done by the squash bee, Peponapis pruinosa.  Results of studies on the effect of honey bees on squash bee activity have been varied, showing a mix of positive and negative impacts.

The squash bee is a solitary bee that nests underground, so be sure to provide bare ground somewhere in your vegetable garden to create nesting habitat. The challenge for growers: tilling can disrupt nests. Specifically, tilling can delay squash bee emergence, and no-till farms have been found to have higher squash bee densities. 

Don't let the notion that squash plants need lots of room deter you from growing this easy specialty crop. Squash can be trained up a trellis or grown on a porch in a bucket planter. It's even a great way to get to know your neighbors via National Sneak Some Zucchini on Your Neighbor's Porch Day!