do bees like creeping thyme

Do Bees Like Creeping Thyme? If you want to attract and help bees and other helpful pollinators, you need to have creeping thyme in your garden. This hardy perennial grows slowly and is very pretty. It’s also famous for attracting bees that are looking for healthy pollen and nectar. So, does creeping thyme like bees? The clear answer is yes!

What Is Creeping Thyme?Creeping thyme, or Thymus serpyllum, is a popular groundcover plant in the mint family. It grows slowly to cover the ground in a short, dense mat that is only 2 to 4 inches tall. When the tiny oval leaves are crushed, they give off a pleasant scent. Creeping thyme has clusters of pink, purple, or white flowers that bloom in the spring or early summer. There are also golden or variegated leaf varieties.

As a rugged, low-maintenance groundcover, creeping thyme can tolerate moderate foot traffic once established and doesn’t require mowing. It’s drought tolerant when mature and helps choke out weeds. Creeping thyme thrives in full sun to light shade and average to poor soil. Hardiness ranges by variety from zones 3-9.

Why Bees Love Creeping Thyme: There are a few main reasons why bees are so drawn to creeping thyme:

• Flowers – Bees forage on flowers seeking energy-rich nectar and protein-packed pollen Creeping thyme flowers prolifically in spring providing bees with nourishment

• Creeping thyme blooms early in the spring, when food is still scarce for bees that have just come out of winter. The abundant flowers offer an important early food source.

• Fragrance – Bees have an excellent sense of smell and are drawn to the sweet spicy scent of thyme blossoms, guiding them right to the nectar.

• Abundance – A mature patch of blooming thyme contains thousands of densely packed flowers, making foraging efficient for bees.

• Accessibility – The short height of creeping thyme makes it easy for bees to reach the blossoms close to the ground.

• Habitat – The foliage provides nesting spots, shelter, cooling shade, and overwintering sites for some bee species.

Types of Bees Attracted to Creeping Thyme
Creeping thyme entices a wide array of bee pollinators to the garden. Some of the most common bees seen visiting thyme include:

• Honeybees – Domesticated honeybees gather thyme nectar to produce flavorful honey and are highly attracted to the plants.

• Bumblebees – Large, fuzzy bumblebees regularly feed on thyme flowers. The low growth habit suits them perfectly.

• Solitary Bees – Many native solitary bee species like mason bees utilize thyme for food and nesting habitat.

• Carpenter Bees – These sizable bees frequent thyme flowers to collect pollen and nectar.

• Mining Bees – Low-flying mining bees easily access the blossoms and burrow nests beneath thyme foliage.

• Sweat Bees – Tiny sweat bees flock to creeping thyme and crawl inside the tubular flowers.

• Hover Flies – While not a bee, these essential pollinating flies also commonly visit thyme.

In addition to bees, creeping thyme draws in butterflies, beneficial insects, and other pollinators. Planting it significantly diversifies the garden’s pollinator population.

Planting Thyme for Bees
Here are some tips for planting creeping thyme to attract bees to your garden:

• Choose a spot with at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily for optimal growth and flowering.

• Select a cold-hardy cultivar suitable for your zone like elfin or English thyme. Woolly thyme survives cold winters but not wet ones.

• Prepare very well-drained soil, as thyme hates soggy conditions. Amend dense clay soils with compost.

• Purchase young nursery plants for quicker results or start from seed. Thyme can be slow growing from seed.

• Space plants 12-18 inches apart. They will spread out over time. You can also transplant plugs or cuttings.

• Plant in raised beds or slopes for improved drainage. Elevated areas prevent root rot.

• Surround thyme with other bee-loving flowers, herbs, shrubs, and trees to extend seasonal forage.

• Allow some patches to flower fully while pruning back others for harvesting leaves.

• Mulch lightly around thyme with gravel or pebbles. Avoid wood chip mulch that retains excess moisture.

Caring for Thyme to Entice Bees
Simple care practices will keep thyme looking its best while creating an inviting bee habitat:

• Water first year plants weekly to establish deep roots. Afterward, water occasionally during drought.

• Shear plants lightly after blooming finishes to encourage new growth. Avoid cutting into old woody stems.

• Clear away dead leaves and debris in spring so new shoots can emerge.

• Apply a thin gravel mulch layer to help retain moisture and reduce weeds.

• Divide large patches every 3-4 years to rejuvenate. Replant divisions or give away extras.

• Deadhead spent blooms to promote continued flowering. Remove faded flowers after spring bloom.

• Watch for pests like aphids, mites, scale, and mealybugs. Control with insecticidal soap sprays.

• Prevent fungal root rot by providing good drainage and avoiding overwatering. Allow soil to dry between waterings.

With proper growing conditions and care, thyme will continue supplying abundant foliage and flowers to nourish bees for many years.

Harvesting Thyme for Culinary Use
In addition to supporting bees, creeping thyme is a deliciously savory culinary herb. The tiny leaves add wonderful flavor to meats, vegetables, eggs, cheese and more. Here are some tips for harvesting thyme from the garden:

• Cut back thyme by no more than one-third with each harvest to avoid damaging the plants.

• For best flavor, harvest just before flowers emerge in early summer when essential oils peak.

• Cut in mid-morning after dew dries but before midday heat to preserve aromatics.

• Use clean, sharp bypass pruners for tidy cuts. Pulling leaves can harm stems. Don’t harvest flowering stems.

• Gently rinse cut sprigs and pat dry with towels. Allow a day or two of air drying before use.

• Strip leaves by sliding fingers from top down along stems. Discard woody stems before use.

• For storage, completely dry leaves then freeze or keep in sealed glass jars out of direct light.

Designing a Bee-Friendly Garden With Creeping Thyme
Creeping thyme partners beautifully with other bee-loving plants in pollinator gardens. Consider combining it with some of these bee favorites:

Spring: Crocuses, hyacinths, catmint, bee balm, lamb’s ear, hellebores, lungwort, asters, anemones

Summer: Russian sage, lavender, monarda, gaillardia, coreopsis, sedum, verbena

Fall: Asters, goldenrod, stonecrop, chrysanthemums, ornamental grasses

Shrubs: Bluebeard, buttonbush, clethra, fothergilla, spirea, vitex

Trees: Redbud, basswood, willow, maple, black locust, tulip poplar

Group low-growing thyme around the base of taller plants. Underplant shrubs and trees with creeping thyme as a flowering groundcover. Include diverse plants with sequential bloom periods to supply bee nourishment throughout the seasons. Strive for a dense, diverse bee garden with food and shelter in both sunny and shaded areas.

FAQs About Thyme and Bees
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about the special relationship between creeping thyme and bees:

What kind of thyme do bees like best?
Bees enjoy all blooming thyme varieties including English, mother of thyme, elfin, wooly, lemon, caraway, and silver thyme.

Should I plant thyme in full sun or partial shade for bees?
Plant thyme in full sun for heaviest flowering and bee activity. At least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight is ideal. A little afternoon shade is fine.

Can bees nest in creeping thyme?
Some ground-nesting solitary bees may burrow in the soil under mature thyme, but the foliage doesn’t provide actual nesting cavities.

Does thyme also attract butterflies?
Yes, many common butterflies visit thyme flowers for nectar including swallowtails, sulfurs, hairstreaks, skippers, and fritillaries.

What other herbs do bees like besides thyme?
Bees are also attracted to lavender, rosemary, sage, basil, marjoram, oregano, catmint, lemon balm, chives, borage, and mint among others.

Should I plant nursery thyme or use thyme seeds?
For quicker results, plant nursery-grown thyme plants. For seeds, start indoors early and transplant after last frost.

Creeping thyme clearly deserves a coveted place in every bee-friendly garden. The beautiful blossoms and sweet fragrance will entice bees to busily gather nectar and nourish the next generation.