Pollinator GardeningHow to Make a Sacramento Bee Water Station That Pollinators Actually Use (Heat Wave Guide)
A bee water station in Sacramento only works if it does four things: gives bees a place to stand, smells like water bees…
The Bee Conservatory
Bee Conservation Blog
Stories, research, and practical guides for protecting pollinators in your community.
Blog posts
Pollinator GardeningPollinator-Friendly Pest Control in Sacramento: How to Manage Garden Pests Without Killing Bees
Pollinator-friendly pest control in Sacramento starts with one rule: skip the spray bottle until you have tried everythi…
Bee SafetyBee Stings in Sacramento: First Aid, Allergic Reaction Warning Signs, and When to Call 911
Bee sting first aid in Sacramento boils down to four steps: get away from the area, scrape the stinger out as fast as po…
Bee IdentificationLeafcutter Bees in Sacramento: Why Those Half-Moon Holes in Your Rose Leaves Are a Good Sign
Leafcutter bees in Sacramento are responsible for those mysterious half-moon holes in your rose leaves — and it is genui…
Get InvolvedCalifornia Bumble Bee Atlas 2026: How Sacramento Volunteers Can Join
The California Bumble Bee Atlas 2026 is a statewide volunteer effort to map California's 25 native bumble bee species. T…
ConservationSacramento Drought and Heat: How Climate Stress Is Changing Local Bee Populations
Sacramento drought and heat are reshaping local bee populations in ways that are measurable, ongoing, and largely invisi…
ConservationHoney Bees vs Native Bees: Why the Difference Matters for Sacramento Pollinators
Honey bees and native bees are not the same thing — and in Sacramento, the difference matters more than most people real…
Bee SafetyHow Much Does Bee Removal Cost in Sacramento? Free vs Paid Options
Live bee removal from The Bee Conservatory is free. If a colony is inside a wall or other structure, we'll explain what'…
Pollinator GardeningHow to Create a Bee-Friendly Garden in Sacramento
A bee-friendly garden in Sacramento does not require a large yard, an irrigation overhaul, or a botany degree. It requir…
ConservationNeonicotinoids and Sacramento Bees: The Pesticides Killing Pollinators
Neonicotinoids are the single biggest chemical threat facing Sacramento bees right now. This class of systemic insectici…
ConservationThe 2026 Bee Crisis: What's Happening and How You Can Help
U.S. beekeepers lost 55.6% of their managed colonies from April 2024 to April 2025, according to the U.S. Beekeeping Sur…
Bee SafetyFound a Bee Swarm in Sacramento? Here's Exactly What to Do
You walk outside and there's a basketball-sized mass of bees hanging from your fence post. Or a branch. Or your mailbox.…
Pollinator Gardening10 Native Plants Sacramento Bees Love
Non-native ornamental plants fill most Sacramento yards. They look fine, many are beautiful — but for bees, especially n…
Our MissionWhy We Provide Free Bee Removal (And Why It Matters)
When most homeowners discover a bee swarm on their property, they call a pest control company. That's the obvious move —…
Bee SafetyBees in Your Walls? Why They Move In and What to Do
You hear a low hum coming from the wall. Or you notice bees streaming in and out of a gap under the eaves every afternoo…
Pollinator GardeningHow to Build a Bee Hotel That Native Bees Will Actually Use
Most people hear "save the bees" and think of honeybees. But Sacramento is home to hundreds of native solitary bee speci…
Bee SafetySacramento Bee Swarm Season: When, Why, and How to Prepare
Sacramento bee swarm season runs from roughly March through June, with peak activity concentrated in April and May. If y…
Bee SafetyBees vs Wasps: How to Tell the Difference (Sacramento Identification Guide)
Bees vs wasps comes down to four quick checks: body shape, color tone, hair, and behavior. A honey bee is fuzzy, golden-…
BeekeepingBackyard Beekeeping in Sacramento: A Beginner's Complete Guide
Backyard beekeeping in Sacramento is legal, affordable to start, and one of the most direct ways to support the pollinat…
BeekeepingSacramento Beekeeping Laws: Hive Limits, Registration, and Rules
Sacramento beekeeping rules allow many residents to keep bees, but they differ depending on whether you live inside the…
Bee SafetyCarpenter Bees in Sacramento: Identification, Wood Damage, and Humane Solutions
Carpenter bees in Sacramento are the large, loud, hovering bees that show up every spring around your deck, pergola, or…
Bee IdentificationGround-Nesting Bees in Sacramento: Why You Should Leave Them Alone
Ground-nesting bees in Sacramento are almost always native solitary species — mining bees, digger bees, and sweat bees —…
EducationHow to Start a Pollinator Garden at Your Sacramento School
A school pollinator garden in Sacramento can be planted in a single weekend on a modest budget, and once it is in the gr…
EducationHow to Document Sacramento Bees for Citizen Science (iNaturalist and Bumble Bee Watch Guide)
Bee citizen science in Sacramento is one of the most useful things a non-scientist can do for pollinator conservation —…
Bee RemovalWho to Call for Bees in Sacramento: Your First Call, Every Time
Call The Bee Conservatory at (916) 404-4294 first for any bee situation in the Greater Sacramento region. We take report…
Bee SafetySwarm vs Hive: How to Tell What's on Your Sacramento Property (and Why It Matters)
Bee swarm vs hive comes down to one question with very different consequences: are the bees parked, or are they moved in…
ConservationWhy Bees Matter: How Pollinators Power California's Food Supply
Why bees matter, in one sentence: crops that benefit from animal pollination make up about a third of global crop produc…
Bee IdentificationYellow-Faced Bumble Bees in Sacramento: Identification, Habitat, and Why They Matter
The yellow-faced bumble bee (Bombus vosnesenskii) is the most common bumble bee species in Sacramento — a large, fuzzy,…
Bee RemovalWhat to Expect When You Call for Free Bee Removal in Sacramento: Our Step-by-Step Process
The Sacramento bee removal process with The Bee Conservatory is simple. Tell us what you are seeing and we'll help you f…
Get InvolvedVolunteer with Bee Conservatory: How Sacramento Residents Can Help Save Pollinators
Volunteer bee conservation in Sacramento is one of the most direct ways a resident of the Central Valley can help pollin…
EducationBee Education for Kids: How Sacramento Parents and Teachers Can Teach Pollinator Science at Home and in the Classroom
Bee education for kids in Sacramento works best when it is hands-on, local, and short — three twenty-minute backyard obs…
AdvocacyCalifornia's Endangered Bumble Bees: What the CESA Listing Means for Sacramento Property Owners
Four California bumble bee species are protected under state law as candidates for listing. In June 2019, the California…
ConservationThe 2026 Monarch Butterfly Crisis: Why Sacramento Bee Conservation Matters
The monarch butterfly endangered 2026 designation is no longer a hypothetical — it is the regulatory reality Sacramento…
AdvocacyAB 363 Explained: California's Neonic Limits for Sacramento Gardeners
AB 363 is California law, and Sacramento gardeners are in its scope. Authored by Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan and…
GardeningSacramento Pollinator Garden Bloom Calendar: Month-by-Month Native Plant Guide
A working Sacramento pollinator garden bloom calendar needs at least three native species in flower every month from Feb…
Bee SafetyAfricanized Bees in Sacramento: How to Identify Them and What to Do If You Find a Defensive Hive
Yes, africanized bees are in Sacramento — but at very low frequency, and the practical risk to most homeowners is low if…
Native BeesMason Bees in Sacramento: How to Attract California's Best Spring Pollinator (and Why They Out-Pollinate Honey Bees)
Mason bees in Sacramento are the most efficient spring pollinator in California — a single female blue orchard mason bee…
Our MissionHow Free Bee Removal in Sacramento Is Funded
The Bee Conservatory is a Sacramento, California nonprofit. This page explains how our free removal is paid for and what…
Pollinator GardeningDrought-Tolerant Pollinator Plants for Sacramento: 15 Water-Wise Natives That Feed Bees Through a Dry Summer
Drought-tolerant pollinator plants for Sacramento need to do three things at once: survive a dry summer on minimal water…
Bee SafetyWasp Nest vs Bee Hive in Sacramento: How to Tell the Difference and Who to Call for Each
Wasp nest vs bee hive in Sacramento comes down to three quick checks: what the structure is made of, where it sits, and…
newsletter
Stay in the Hive
Leave your email if you'd like bee conservation updates, new guides, and ways to take action.
We respect your privacy. Ask us any time and we'll remove your address.