Linseed

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I should imagine that linseed flowers should be realy good for bees as I know the flower is off a open nauture just like a daisy, light shade of blue and realy dark blue as well depending on the variety , I know they are realy good all rounder for lots if diffrent insects but dont flower for long and set seed realy quickly, the fields look amazing when in full flower.

Grub
 
There's a field of it coming into flower a few miles from me so I did a bit of Google research and concluded it wasn't a valuable source of nectar for honey bees. However, (dramatic pause) if anyone has any direct experience of it please let me know. It isn't too late to take some hives to the field.
 
Hivemaker is likely correct. That is what I have believed but some have said 'sometimes'. I used to chuckle when linseed seeds were offered on epay, as a honey bee-friendly flower, but maybe some varieties do give useful amounts of nectar.

Just not come across any yet.

Regards, RAB
 
I think one year my bees maybe did put some linseed nectar on. Not a lot. And the honey was bitter and verging on the unpleasant.

Not sure what it's like for pollen.
 
yep, linseed or flaxseed is poor for nectar, i have experianced it at my cousins near pangbourne berkshire...lovely fields of blue flowers..nothing

its becoming more popular due to use as a food seed /breakfast additive and was being put forward as a rotation crop with OSR
 
I couldn't find an entry for linseed in the Directory of Important World Honey Sources.. (IBRA 1984).
 
Thanks everyone,
Think i will definately give the linseed a miss(Its rare to get such an overwhelming consensus among beeekeepers), shame though loads of it locally.

All the best

Mark
 
Anything for Flaxseed or common Flax ( Linum usitatissimum) which is the oil feed name for linseed


Linum usitatissimum
is listed. It's a major nectar source in Mozambique and a medium nectar source in Argentina. Nectar secretion is 0.79mg/fl/day and the sugar concentration is medium(25.5% to 49%). Its honey potential is moderate being about 11.9kg per hectare.
 

Linum usitatissimum
is listed. It's a major nectar source in Mozambique and a medium nectar source in Argentina. Nectar secretion is 0.79mg/fl/day and the sugar concentration is medium(25.5% to 49%). Its honey potential is moderate being about 11.9kg per hectare.

Thats good, perhaps they do use it
 

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