Author Topic: Honeybees and Sunflowers (Read 6120 times)

bwallace23350 · « **on:** June 22, 2017, 03:47:04 pm »

I planted some sunflowers. Beautiful plants that are not starting to flower. The bees flock to them. Are they a good nectar source. If they are I was thinking of planting several hundred to help out in our dearth time of year.

paus · « **Reply #1 on:** June 22, 2017, 04:15:33 pm »

I have a sunflower question also, I planted lots of borage and about a quarter acre of lemon queen sunflowers. They are blooming profusely but my bees are not touching them, only bumble bees. The flowers are beautiful. Are any seed companies treating seed with systemic pesticides. I am at a loss, the bees are working something but not the sunflowers or Borage.

Michael Bush · « **Reply #2 on:** June 22, 2017, 04:17:40 pm »

I've seen bees on sunflowers and I've also seen them ignore them. I guess it depends on what else is blooming.

bwallace23350 · « **Reply #3 on:** June 22, 2017, 04:27:46 pm »

I am at the tail end of the flow. Still some wildflowers and the chinese tallow tree. I am thinking that if I am going to focus on planting things that bloom during the dearth. I know it will not totally feed the bees but it can't hurt. I also have a lot of lavender that is fixing to bloom.

azzkell · « **Reply #4 on:** June 23, 2017, 07:05:36 am »

I have heard that bees will go for what they need (pollen, nectar) and the best that they can find. Also they target large blooms if available rather than going between individual species. So if there is a large amount of one or two species they will hit that hard until exhausted then expand their search. That's what I understand them to do anyway.
Cheers,
Aaron.

Acebird · « **Reply #5 on:** June 23, 2017, 09:15:10 am »

I see sun flowers as a pollen source not a nectar source.

bwallace23350 · « **Reply #6 on:** June 23, 2017, 09:39:33 am »

Quote from: Acebird on June 23, 2017, 09:15:10 am

I see sun flowers as a pollen source not a nectar source.

Thanks. Either way they look like a good investment for my death management.

GSF · « **Reply #7 on:** June 26, 2017, 08:36:04 am »

Brian, one of the folks in our bee keepers association planted several acres of sunflowers. He said it makes a good honey. It could be our two different climates or the type of sunflower he planted. I planted an area probably 75' by 150' and I saw the bees working it pretty good the other day. They didn't have any pollen on their legs either.

bwallace23350 · « **Reply #8 on:** June 26, 2017, 09:47:28 am »

As of now my bees have found something better. They are not working the sunflowers but the bumble bees are.

Acebird · « **Reply #9 on:** June 26, 2017, 10:21:01 am »

Quote from: GSF on June 26, 2017, 08:36:04 am

Brian, one of the folks in our bee keepers association planted several acres of sunflowers. He said it makes a good honey. It could be our two different climates or the type of sunflower he planted. I planted an area probably 75' by 150' and I saw the bees working it pretty good the other day. They didn't have any pollen on their legs either.

It very well could be like with golden rod. It could also be that when it blooms there is something else that competes leaving the sunflowers as a second or third choice for nectar here.

paus · « **Reply #10 on:** June 26, 2017, 11:37:32 am »

My girls are working hard bringing in some kind of yellow pollen, but they are still not on the sunflowers. Maybe I need more bees Ha Ha says my social secretary.

azzkell · « **Reply #11 on:** June 26, 2017, 12:48:29 pm »

Probably a large source somewhere nearby. Can you see anything around in flower?

paus · « **Reply #12 on:** June 26, 2017, 01:40:52 pm »

I only saw one bee working "partridge peas" I don't have a clue, but they are bringing in lots of pollen and some look like they have nectar, kind of loaded when they land but no pollen. Still no bees on sunflowers.

azzkell · « **Reply #13 on:** June 27, 2017, 01:17:06 am »

Lol that's frustrating. Hope they make their way onto them soon for you.

GSF · « **Reply #14 on:** June 27, 2017, 09:19:22 am »

bw, yours may be working the popcorn trees.

bwallace23350 · « **Reply #15 on:** June 27, 2017, 09:42:00 am »

I think they are. I am going to try to harvest today.

eltalia · « **Reply #16 on:** June 27, 2017, 08:48:18 pm »

Growing around a 1/2 acre each year @Lat.18 it has been seen to be a second choice for the forager.
Even with 2 (two) >60K colonies within metres the forager numbers are erratic to low, on days they do graze them.

Cheers.

Bill

BeeMaster2 · « **Reply #17 on:** June 28, 2017, 12:57:09 am »

Quote from: eltalia on June 27, 2017, 08:48:18 pm

Growing around a 1/2 acre each year @Lat.18 it has been seen to be a second choice for the forager.
Even with 2 (two) >60K colonies within metres the forager numbers are erratic to low, on days they do graze them.

Cheers.

Bill

Bill,
I have read this several times and I cannot figure out what you are trying to say.
Jim

BeeMaster2 · « **Reply #18 on:** June 28, 2017, 01:00:16 am »

Where are you from Bill? Please add your location to your profile.
Jim

eltalia · « **Reply #19 on:** June 28, 2017, 01:37:23 am »

Quote from: sawdstmakr on June 28, 2017, 12:57:09 am

Quote from: eltalia on June 27, 2017, 08:48:18 pm
Growing around a 1/2 acre each year @Lat.18 it has been seen to be a second choice for the forager.
Even with 2 (two) >60K colonies within metres the forager numbers are erratic to low, on days they do graze them.

Cheers.

Bill
Bill,
I have read this several times and I cannot figure out what you are trying to say.
Jim

Honeybees, Italians anyway, are not partial to Sunflower.
Trigona love them.
Better, for you?

I gave my location in my "Hello World" post in that forum.
However I have now added it to my profile for those that
must know whom is who.

Cheers.

Bill

bwallace23350 · « **Reply #20 on:** June 28, 2017, 11:01:00 am »

I think mine are mutts now

tycrnp · « **Reply #21 on:** June 28, 2017, 10:27:27 pm »

I too am in the southeast USA, have sunflowers, and the bees ignore them. But I like them!

BeeMaster2 · « **Reply #22 on:** June 28, 2017, 11:44:08 pm »

Thanks Bill.
We have sunflowers here in my wife's garden. One is about 11" in diameter. I have not seen any bees on it.
Jim

Jim134 · « **Reply #23 on:** June 29, 2017, 08:12:12 am »

I did know a beekeeping from Sorth Dakota USA. Now is retired from keeping bees. Puting bees on sunflower would be his last resort.. The honey was dark and it did crystallized fast I'm talking like 5 days or less after being capped. No not all some flowers I create equal. Some are great sources of nectar While others are great sources of pollen. And somewhere more like dual purpose. Farmers do plant hundreds of Acres of a sunflower in South Dakota.. From what my friend said about sunflower.. Sunflowers have very little value for a honey producer..

BEE HAPPY Jim 134

bwallace23350 · « **Reply #24 on:** June 29, 2017, 09:16:10 am »

Quote from: Jim 134 on June 29, 2017, 08:12:12 am

I did know a beekeeping from Sorth Dakota USA. Now is retired from keeping bees. Puting bees on sunflower would be his last resort.. The honey was dark and it did crystallized fast I'm talking like 5 days or less after being capped. No not all some flowers I create equal. Some are great sources of nectar While others are great sources of pollen. And somewhere more like dual purpose. Farmers do plant hundreds of Acres of a sunflower in South Dakota.. From what my friend said about sunflower.. Sunflowers have very little value for a honey producer..

BEE HAPPY Jim 134

If we knew the right varieties that are dual purpose they could serve a great purpose for me. I could plant a lot of them to help lessen our coming dearth.

paus · « **Reply #25 on:** June 29, 2017, 12:17:06 pm »

I just looked at sunflowers, Bumble bees no honey bees. The ladies are bring pollen and nectar, no idea from what source. I did a lot of reading on the best variety of sunflower and "Lemon Queen" was the best according to those that had tried different varieties Lemon queen is NOT a hybred.

bwallace23350 · « **Reply #26 on:** June 29, 2017, 02:15:30 pm »

THanks. I might plant a lot of Lemon Queens then