Bees on Laurel.

[Newbeeneil]

Here is one for all you botanists out there.
Last night while I was out walking with my better half, we walked by a laurel hedge humming with bees, wasps and hover flys. It was the loud humming that actually attracted us to it so it was certainly an impressive spectacle.
On examination there was no blossom on the plants but the insects were landing on the base of the underside of the newest leaves and seem to me licking something from the area.
I assumed there must be some kind of aphid feeeding at this point but could find no sign of any at all.
All the laurel plants in the immediate area seemed to have its share of bees but they didn't seem to be on any other plants without blossom.
Anyone out there have any idea why the laurel was so popular?

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Here is one for all you botanists out there.
Last night while I was out walking with my better half, we walked by a laurel hedge humming with bees, wasps and hover flys. It was the loud humming that actually attracted us to it so it was certainly an impressive spectacle.
On examination there was no blossom on the plants but the insects were landing on the base of the underside of the newest leaves and seem to me licking something from the area.
I assumed there must be some kind of aphid feeeding at this point but could find no sign of any at all.
All the laurel plants in the immediate area seemed to have its share of bees but they didn't seem to be on any other plants without blossom.
Anyone out there have any idea why the laurel was so popular?

http://www.chelifer.com/?page_id=2438

 

[philipm]

I believe they get nectar from the leaves.I have Golden Laurel around part of my garden the bees love it.

 

[Millet]

I'm sure i have read somewhere that Laurel and a few other trees/shrubs have extrafloral nectaries.

 

[Newbeeneil]

http://www.chelifer.com/?page_id=2438

Thank you very much.
It's amazing what you learn just by having an evening stroll with the better half.

 

[Marton]

When you do module 2 [emoji6][emoji6] you will find that it’s cherry, plum, broad been and cherry lately which have extra floral nectaries.

Seems to be to encourage ants to fend of aphids.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[masterBK]

Photo of Honeybee working extrafloral nectaries of laurel. Lots of plants have extra floral nectaries. Bracken has nectaries too but you can't really call them extrafloral as they aren't a flowering plant. Nectaries predate the evolution of flowering plants.

 

[Beagle23]

Thank you very much.
It's amazing what you learn just by having an evening stroll with the better half.

Is she bookable?

 

[Newbeeneil]

Is she bookable?

You would have to ask her........I'm certainly not!