linseed flower

[roo]

Hello folks,
There are three good fields of linseed in bloom close to my apiary. I was interested to see if my bees were working it and found that they were visiting the flowers but only from the under side of the flowerhead.
Any comments,
Roo

 

[REDWOOD]

Hi Roo, read link below
http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5474

 

[RoofTops]

Hello folks,
I was interested to see if my bees were working it and found that they were visiting the flowers but only from the under side of the flowerhead.

Linseed is generally considered poor for nectar but your observation about bees visiting the underside of flowers rang a bell. This week I saw a honey bee studiously working a type of wild geranium (see below) growing in my garden and it only went for the underside of the flowers. Makes me think there may be extra-floral nectaries there.

 

[tidymeup]

Are they underside the flower head because they cannot access the nectar unless they make a hole through the base?

 

[susbees]

We have Geranium bumble bee or similar in the rockery outside the front door. Flowers for months. The honey bee tucks in behind the pollen bearing parts (to remain non-techie ) and follows round in a circle on her side nectary by nectary.