To provide pollinator nesting habitat, cut dead perennial stems in their first winter

Abstract Stems of perennial plants in residential pollinator gardens may provide nesting and overwintering resources for solitary bees and wasps, but seasonal vegetation management risks destroying these insects. To inform garden management practises in temperate climates, we conducted participatory research: volunteers sampled cohorts of dead stems (in situ where they grew) through winter, spring, summer and fall. We received 2879 stems, representing 20 gardens in four ecoregions across North Carolina, USA. Of these, 45 stems were occupied by living insects or identifiable remains, representing at least 12 species of Hymenoptera. Winter stems—those that had been alive and uncut in the previous growing season—were not occupied. Thus, to create resources for stem‐nesting pollinators, while minimizing disturbance, we recommend trimming (but not entirely removing) stems in their first winter.