Fruit tree blossom

[Steveblackwell]

Hi all

I'm wondering if anybody has noticed whether bees display a preference between cherry and apple blossoms. I would value the opinion and wisdom of experienced beekeepers.
Thanks in advance.

 

[Jimmy]

Check the flowering time - they may not overlap. Additionally, a variety of forage is preferable to a single source as it provides a greater nutritional diversity.

 

[enrico]

Definitely cherry.apple doesn't get many bees but maybe because there are other things in flower!

 

[Hasbee]

I have five cherry and five apple trees within 200yards of the hives, they both are in flower at the moment and both have a reasonable amount of bees on them, there is a field of OSR nearby but the dandelion and fruit trees seem to be well visited. Could make for interesting honey!

 

[Boston Bees]

Depends on the cherry also. Apples are (I think) fairly similar in terms of flowering time, and perhaps also attractiveness to bees. But there's a huge variety of cherries, ranging from the early flowering "wild" type such as cherry-plum, bird cherry etc (generally very good for bees) to later flowering more ornamental, or even double-flowered, type, which can be valuable for bees, but can also be useless.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Pears. I see more on the pear tree than all the others put together

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

A good pear always gets more attention

 

[holmbee]

Steve
My wild cherry come out before the apples and are now over. Apples are just starting to flower. Different varieties flower at slightly different times. My bees love the wild cherries but that is probably due to little other forage on offer other than blackthorn. Now there is more choice.
Michael

 

[Ian123]

Hi all

I'm wondering if anybody has noticed whether bees display a preference between cherry and apple blossoms. I am looking to plant a few fruit trees on some shared land I am lucky enough to have use of and, if there appears to be a consensus on a preferred type, will base the decision on which to plant on any received wisdom from experienced beekeepers.
Thanks in advance.

What about what you want to eat. Although nice to see bees on the trees you’ve planted, your not really going to make a difference. Pick something you can all enjoy

 

[Steveblackwell]

Thank you to everyone who has replied, it's much appreciated. There are some great thoughts for me to take away and ponder on.

 

[frankenstine]

I think bees view apple trees like the questionable kebab shop yes they'll go there but it's defiantly not first choice

 

[RobS]

Hi all

I'm wondering if anybody has noticed whether bees display a preference between cherry and apple blossoms. I am looking to plant a few fruit trees on some shared land I am lucky enough to have use of and, if there appears to be a consensus on a preferred type, will base the decision on which to plant on any received wisdom from experienced beekeepers.
Thanks in advance.

One of the reasons I started keeping bees was because I had twenty or so fruit trees in my garden.
I learned over the next few years that whilst bumble bees loved them I hardly ever saw a honey bee visit them.
Honey bees are quite discerning when it comes to nectar and given the choice my three colonies all head for wild flower rich areas. Plant what you prefer eating

 

[drex]

Half of my allotment plot, where I have my bees, is a wilderness area as it is covered in mature oak and elm trees. I plant this up for pollinators in general ( and because I like the look of it) , considering that my bees forage over tens of square Km, it is not worth planting specifically for them

 

[Repwoc]

The crab apple in my garden gets lots of honey bees for the one week it flowers, but then it's only ~ 6 ft away from the hives.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Crab apple here every year since I've been beekeeping gets attention locally.
Blackthorn last year and previous no go but this year they are on it. ( might of been different times looking at the trees ie morning or afternoon inspections one walks around looking at pastures and tasting flowers @Finman
Cherry every year.
If I was to choose it would be crab apple because you get fruit were as the cherry either drop there fruit or the birds get them.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Crab apple here every year since I've been beekeeping gets attention locally.
Blackthorn last year and previous no go but this year they are on it. ( might of been different times looking at the trees ie morning or afternoon inspections one walks around looking at pastures and tasting flowers @Finman
Cherry every year.
If I was to choose it would be crab apple because you get fruit were as the cherry either drop there fruit or the birds get them.

If we're talking apple trees it's Laxtons Superb or Bramley Seedlings for me as I get to eat the Laxtons fruit and the Bramleys go into pies.

 

[enrico]

The beauty of crabapple, it is a pollinator for all types of apple

 

[Curly green finger's]

We would be lucky up here to get such nice apples, we have to eat crab apples.
The late frosts at 500m put an end to that, last year was an exceptional good year in 12 years or so.

 

[Curly green finger's]

The beauty of crabapple, it is a pollinator for all types of apple

And that's a true gardener talking