Toadflax

[beeno]

Hi all, I have identified that my bees are collecting copious amounts of toadflax pollen. Do they collect nectar from these plants and how? Are their tongues long enough or are they dependent on bumble bees to make a hole for them a la bumble bees on broad beans or don't they collect any nectar at all? Have seen a video of a bumble bee making a hole to get to the nectar.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Finnie is the man to ask.
He has mentioned getting decent crops from Linaria

 

[Swarm]

I'm a firm believer that having evolved alongside these plants, our bees have worked out their ways.

 

[beeno]

Thanks for your replies. It would be interesting to find out what the more weedy summer honey is made up off.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Request a sample pack from the honey monitoring scheme then apply your pollen coefficient values to the results

 

[masterBK]

F.N.Howes (Plants and beekeeping page 206) reckons honeybees are able to collect nectar from this plant. They don't have to reach the bottom of the nectary as long as they can reach the surface of the nectar with their proboscis to suck it upo.

 

[beeno]

Request a sample pack from the honey monitoring scheme then apply your pollen coefficient values to the results

I have not submitted any honey. Microscope identification by moi!

 

[Erichalfbee]

I have not submitted any honey. Microscope identification by moi!

Well then you will know yourself
Anything from others is purely speculation
Tell us what you find and I’m sure you know all about pollen coefficients, then.

 

[beeno]

F.N.Howes (Plants and beekeeping page 206) reckons honeybees are able to collect nectar from this plant. They don't have to reach the bottom of the nectary as long as they can reach the surface of the nectar with their proboscis to suck it upo.

Many thanks - live in hope then that they manage some nectar also from this plant.

 

[beeno]

Well then you will know yourself
Anything from others is purely speculation
Tell us what you find and I’m sure you know all about pollen coefficients, then.

Corbicular pollen.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Corbicular pollen.

Back to the honey sample, then?
Spotted these in the garden today. Their heads are getting a right pasting

 

[beeno]

Back to the honey sample, then?
Spotted these in the garden today. Their heads are getting a right pasting


View attachment 18376

View attachment 18377

In due course yes. What are these then?

 

[Erichalfbee]

In due course yes. What are these then?

Linaria
Thought you might enjoy the photo

 

[beeno]

Linaria
Thought you might enjoy the photo

Linaria pelisseriana? Does not look like it though from my reference material. Nice yellow pollen and a spot on the head. Is this a cultivated plant in your garden or wild?

 

[Finman]

Finnie is the man to ask.
He has mentioned getting decent crops from Linaria

I have not said that I have got crop fom Linaria. The plat has a big nectar droplet in its tube. I do not know, is the honeybee able to take the nectar tube.

Bees have a yellow spot in their back when they visit in Linaria vulgaris.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Bees have a yellow spot in their back when they visit in Linaria vulgaris.

The bees I watched seemed to be getting into the nectar
That’s why they were getting their heads dotted

 

[Erichalfbee]

Linaria pelisseriana? Does not look like it though from my reference material. Nice yellow pollen and a spot on the head. Is this a cultivated plant in your garden or wild?

My plant finder has L repens
Yes I have swathes in the drive.

 

[Finman]

We do not have that Linaria. We have Linaria vulgaris, that high yellow.

 

[beeno]

My plant finder has L repens
Yes I have swathes in the drive.

Yes, I agree my plant finder has it very pale, but shape is the same.