RHS pollinators list and foraging observed!

[louiseww]

It is meant to be a bit of a fallow period at the moment and we in the south east are particularly dry with no rain in weeks along the coast. However my bees are bringing in a lot of yellow and cream pollen and bright orange which I think is from Cistus (Rock Rose). They are also starting on the campanula which is everywhere, poached egg plant and sweet rocket.

I am not very impressed with this RHS list which I printed off, lots of good plants for honey bees are missing - Cistus for one!
What are your observations?
Louise

 

[Winker]

I have a field of beans behind me comming into flower

 

[Cazza]

My bees are completely ignoring the mass of Sweet Rocket in the garden. I think they're after early bramble and field beans.
Cazza

 

[nelletap]

I have also found things missing from the list so there are probably lots of omissions. I notice they coded the plants as to climbers, shrubs etc but it would have been good to add the information as to whether the plant was good for pollen or nectar or both. Having a similar set of information with flowering period would also be great - or some other indication of how useful the plant is. It is probably more useful when flowering is over a sustained period particularly when alternative forage is poor. My alliums, for example, provide real impact for such a long time and the bees seem to love them. they therefore seem more valuable than you'd think from their size.
Tricia

 

[louiseww]

I have also found things missing from the list so there are probably lots of omissions. I notice they coded the plants as to climbers, shrubs etc but it would have been good to add the information as to whether the plant was good for pollen or nectar or both. Having a similar set of information with flowering period would also be great - or some other indication of how useful the plant is. It is probably more useful when flowering is over a sustained period particularly when alternative forage is poor. My alliums, for example, provide real impact for such a long time and the bees seem to love them. they therefore seem more valuable than you'd think from their size.
Tricia

Thanks Tricia, I didn't think the list was very useful and could have been made more so - but most horticulturalists don't understand that all bees do not forage on the same plants. My alliiums were short lived this year and I am sure it has been because of the dry weather.
Louise

 

[tonybloke]

some of my bees (some bees in one of the 3 colonies in my garden)are also bringing in bright orange pollen, it's from 'californian poppies' ( tony, Horticulturist)