Honeybees on Buddleia

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Onge

Field Bee
Joined
May 24, 2009
Messages
837
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0
Location
Cambridge
Hive Type
Langstroth
Number of Hives
9 Medium Poly, mostly foundation-less. Some run as Warre TBH
Hi all

I seem to remember a few posts on this site saying that honeybees don't forage on Buddleia.

Well I have always seen them and today I filmed them with my phone.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyH2tbuR7uE[/ame]

Hope link works.

Here is a still to go with it. I don't know if it's just a London thing. :)
 
They sure do. :)
 
Mine certainly seem to use it, but only now and again. They can be all over it one day and then leave it alone for a week or more before covering it again.

Si.
 
Mine never seem to touch it with a bargepole but there's always something more exciting for them in the garden.
Cazza
 
I have managed to source some buddleia globosa (orange globe) they are ment to be able to forage it easier something to do with the length of the flower
 
I have managed to source some buddleia globosa (orange globe) they are ment to be able to forage it easier something to do with the length of the flower

My next door neighbours have this and my bees love it, it's the davidii they aren't interested in.
C
 
I have managed to source some buddleia globosa (orange globe) they are ment to be able to forage it easier something to do with the length of the flower
 
I think when food is abundant, bees may select the best sources.

Last year, my bees locked onto the wild mint by the stream bank. This year, we had a third flush of clover and the bees ignored the mint.

Also, last year I planted a hundred or so Sunflowers (only a hundred after the rabbits got them :cuss:. These were ignored as they focused on mint.

I am sure they carry a priority list.

not sure how high up the priority list buddliah is, but this year it was ignored. (last year it was very popular!)
 
I am sure they carry a priority list.

They might change on a daily basis. Foraging efficency, I would think, is their priority. I reckon they would not only select for 'ease and amount collected at the forage site' but also the rate of delivery to hive, as in apparently factoring in the comparative distance flown, wind speed, etc.

So, I would think 'amount collected per bee day' is the criteria, not that they actually 'think' about it; just an automatic response/selection for them.

Regards, RAB
 
I think it's nectar: judging by the butterflies on them..
 

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