I've just been on the internet and I found this.

[Canary Honey]

Just saw this on Facebook, from a non Beek.
Not sure that a few hundred dandelion flowers missing over the whole country is going to make much difference?

The plight of pollinators is getting quite a bandwagon.
Surely a sensible start would be to actually have the right plants in gardens, so much nicer than gravel and brick weave.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I agree with the poster, really.
Dandelions provide nectar and pollen. It's a joy watching the bees pile it in and wax drawn on a dandelion flow is bright yellow.
I find it hard to think of a better flower at that time of year for the bees.

 

[wessexmario]

I'll look forward to that then [the yellow wax] as I live by a large green which in spring has more dandelions than grass - and it's the perfect excuse for not mowing the lawn

 

[For want of a better word]

Twas a time when small boys were employed in the great grey green greasy Tamar river valley now all set about with social housing... to pluck the dandelion flower heads of so that honeybees ( native black Cornish ones) could pollinate the cherry crop.
Pre imported bees... pre varroa.. pre 1860 !
Those must have been the days!!

 

[Swarm]

Wait 'til you see the state the bees get in, it's a wonderful sight.

 

[jonnybeegood]

We had acres & acres here last year in grass fields grown for sileage, when they were in full flower they were sprayed, in a day or three they twisted up & died, likely not good in sileage? What would they have sprayed with? Could this harm my bees this year if it happened again or are these weedkillers bee friendlier?

 

[Ely]

Dandelion honey was my main spring crop last season. Lovely stuff.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Wait 'til you see the state the bees get in, it's a wonderful sight.

Yes, wonderful

 

[Goran]

Dandelions are at my place very invasive, reducing other plants in the field. Also very dangerous for the bees, cause when mow the grass around fruit trees the flowers usually remain intact or fast grown new ones. And people when spray fruit trees..kill the bees.. They oblige to don't spray fruit trees when in blooming, but what a heck, dandelions are weed..
There are many other plants I would like to see more in field, like wild thyme, origano..

Also as mentioned, when match with fruit blooming they attend more dandelions than fruit trees ( apples).

 

[Thymallus]

We had acres & acres here last year in grass fields grown for sileage, when they were in full flower they were sprayed, in a day or three they twisted up & died, likely not good in sileage? What would they have sprayed with? Could this harm my bees this year if it happened again or are these weedkillers bee friendlier?[/QUOTE
They usually spray with a selective weedkiller, not an insecticide. So as safe as they can be.....unless they drown in the stuff.
Barstewards in the field behind my house did exactly the same, now a grass desert whereas three years ago it was a delight of dandelions and other wild flowers.
Apparently the grass was old and not good for silage....so they killed the lot with round-up and reseeded with a new silage variety. Now annual sprays with what is agricultural lawn weed killer. Ho Hum....

 

[MikeT]

We had acres & acres here last year in grass fields grown for sileage, when they were in full flower they were sprayed, in a day or three they twisted up & died, likely not good in sileage? What would they have sprayed with? Could this harm my bees this year if it happened again or are these weedkillers bee friendlier?

Probably MCPA a cheap hormone weedkiller which is unlikely to cause any damage to the bees.

 

[Canary Honey]

Interesting responses thank you all.