Squill flowers, are they good for the bees?

[peterbees]

I've copied this from the Daily Post, North Wales edition... "Eight trial projects on Welsh farms, each with a budget of up to £40,000, are investigating novel agricultural products and techniques.

They range from the use of robotic weeders to the cultivation of squill bulbs, which may have medical applications".

Anyone know if large-scale planting of squill is beneficial to the honeybees? It flowers early and produces steel-blue pollen. Should we get involved in the planting trials?

 

[For want of a better word]

I've copied this from the Daily Post, North Wales edition... "Eight trial projects on Welsh farms, each with a budget of up to £40,000, are investigating novel agricultural products and techniques.

They range from the use of robotic weeders to the cultivation of squill bulbs, which may have medical applications".

Anyone know if large-scale planting of squill is beneficial to the honeybees? It flowers early and produces steel-blue pollen. Should we get involved in the planting trials?

This one?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scilla_siberica

The only Scilla I know well is lying in 30m water in Whitsands bay off of the Native Honeybee reserve in Cornwall!!
And a beekeeping friend of mine served on her during the Cod wars with Iceland!
Yeghes da!

 

[Finman]

.
Bulb growers use to cut flowers from plants, that they do no make seeds. I do not know about Scilla, do they cut. However bees love scilla.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Should we get involved in the planting trials?

Yes good idea, I would be interested in planting some, how do we get the £40,000.

 

[For want of a better word]

Yes good idea, I would be interested in planting some, how do we get the £40,000.

Me too...
but I would want a lot more than £40K just to move to Wales!

yeghes da

 

[philipm]

This one?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scilla_siberica

The only Scilla I know well is lying in 30m water in Whitsands bay off of the Native Honeybee reserve in Cornwall!!
And a beekeeping friend of mine served on her during the Cod wars with Iceland!
Yeghes da!

Remember the Cod wars well I was serving on the Arethusa at the time.

 

[beeboy55]

Seems like they are good for bees

https://www.beverlybees.com/blue-pollen-honeybees-siberian-squill/

 

[olriley]

"Siberian Squill aka Scilla Siberica or Wood Squill"

Consider myself educated. Might stick some in.

 

[Millet]

"Siberian Squill aka Scilla Siberica or Wood Squill"

Consider myself educated. Might stick some in.

I consider myself thick as **** so i will let the bees decide what flowers they prefer, i did plant a few thousand mixed bulbs a couple of years back that done rubbish last spring, the bees however found what they needed elsewhere .

 

[olriley]

I rather meant that this thread had educated me, but hey ho
Agree you can lead a horse to water....


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[Marton]

I rather meant that this thread had educated me, but hey ho
Agree you can lead a horse to water....


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Mine like Scilla. As to Medical uses squill opiate linctus used to be very popular. Also known as Gees Linctus.

The photo of the Scilla with Bee and blue pollen won’t attach. Sorry


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[peterbees]

Seems like they are good for bees

https://www.beverlybees.com/blue-pollen-honeybees-siberian-squill/

Very useful link. Looks like it's one we should all be planting.

 

[peterbees]

Thanks for the useful replies. We'll aim to support this project. I'll also be planting squill in the garden.