Concern spread in r/gardening after a user posted photos showing sluggish and dead bees on common milkweed flowers, revealing an unsettling side of one of the most celebrated native plants for pollinators.
The plant is still vital for monarch butterflies, but its blooms can, in some situations, create risks for bees.
What's happening?
The discussion began with a Reddit post in which the original poster shared photos of bees that appeared lethargic or dead on common milkweed and asked the community to "help explain what's happening." They said no spraying had happened to their knowledge and that they did not believe their HOA had done any either.
Native plants are generally a major win for biodiversity, but not every interaction between pollinators and plants is risk-free. Commenters under the post explained the likely cause of the insect deaths.
"Milkweed flowers have hooks attached to their pollen sacs that honey bees get their feet snagged on. Sometimes they can wiggle free. Other times they can't," one user said. "While native bees can handle the plant and bumblebees are strong and pull it off, sadly some honey bees aren't as lucky."
Why does it matter?
Worries about pollinator losses are already widespread among both gardeners and scientists. Bees help support food production and healthy ecosystems.
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This does not mean people should avoid native plants.
In fact, replacing part or all of a conventional lawn with native plants can help create habitat, save money and time on maintenance, and lower water bills. Low-maintenance alternatives such as clover, buffalo grass, and xeriscaping can offer many of the same benefits, and even a partial lawn replacement can make a meaningful difference.
What can I do?
Luckily, for homeowners who see a similar phenomenon with bees in their gardens, users had helpful suggestions to get the insects out of the sticky situation.
"You can help them out by giving them something to grasp onto, like your finger. I think a part of why they get stuck is the flexibility of the blooms, they can't get enough leverage to pull away," one user wrote.
"I use a little twig to just gently nudge them off the petals," another said.
It can also help to diversify what you plant. Instead of relying heavily on one species, gardeners can mix milkweed with a broader range of regionally appropriate native plants, so pollinators have more feeding options throughout the season.
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