Bees favourites

[Bugfan]

Hi again

Can some of you experts put together a list of the top ten crops/flowers that enable the bees to produce a high yield of honey?

My bees have a lovely big field full of rape within 2 mins flying time, once the flowers have gone i would consider moving them to another area if i thought it would be beneficial for them (and me!!)?

Thanks again

 

[Melbourne12]

I copied the attached from an academic paper published in 1961, and it's the only detailed study that I can find of the plants that bees like. It doesn't include OSR, which I suppose was less widely grown then, and no doubt there are other modern plants that would go onto an up-to-date list.

However, it's a bit of a guide. I've arranged it in order of flowering season.

HTH

 

[marcros]

Hi again

Can some of you experts put together a list of the top ten crops/flowers that enable the bees to produce a high yield of honey?

My bees have a lovely big field full of rape within 2 mins flying time, once the flowers have gone i would consider moving them to another area if i thought it would be beneficial for them (and me!!)?

Thanks again

It depends greatly on area- for example I understand that Raspberries are a major crop around Fife, but not really elsewhere.

I would suggest, in no particular order:
1. OSR
2. Borage
3. Himalayan Balsam
4. Ling Heather
5. Field Beans
6. Hawthorne/Blackthorne (I get a decent early flow from them in an area that there is not much else)
7. Horse Chestnut

...

Mark

 

[Finman]

.
In Finland we have

Willows
Garden fruit trees
Garden berry busches
dandelion
wild raspberry (in some parts main yield)
summer rape
fire weed
lime tree
cultivated Phagelia

Many kind of compositea species like thistles

Yield plants varies greatly in diffrent parts of country.
Farming methods have changed totally field nectar plants.

Here is nothing for bees if not rape

 

[Finman]

.
In some placs we have fireweed in cutted forests