List Best Flowers For Bees

[TheHoneyPump]

I have same observations as Mr Bush. 
I have placed beehives right next to sunflower field.  30 meters away.   And I have watched the bees head in other directions to the clovers and alfalfas nearby.  Walking in the sunflower field blooms I have seen the flowers loaded up with bumblebees and other wild/native bees, then the occasional honey bee.  If I were to count I would likely come up with 200+ bumbles and other pollinators to one honeybee in the sunflowers.
Later when pulling honey off the hives there, the honey is high in the clover/alfalfa honey with some sunflower in it. An exquisite tasting blend!
By far the highest yields I have seen on hives equipped with scales, in good midsummer conditions is on CLOVERS:  red, alsike, sweet.  11.4-11.8 Kg  PER DAY ( 25 lbs per day).
Hope that helps!

[Michael Bush]

Differences could also be due to climate differences.  Maybe in a wet climate sunflowers produce a lot more nectar.  They don't seem to produce much here in Nebraska.  But that is just my observation with no objective measurements.

[max2]

I'm in Australia , Queesland.
Our valley has acres of White Clover in full bloom right now but very few bees working them.
I realise that nectar production depends on moisture, humidity, soils, temperature...you name it...BUT I can't find any information which actuallt says: x degrees C, y % humidity.

[Michael Bush]

White Dutch clover?  White sweet clover?  White Ladino clover?  I don't know of anything that gives details of temp etc. but bees generally work whatever is the richest source of sugar that they found and continue to work that until it runs out.  So if they started working something else before the clover bloomed, they may keep working that until it runs out.  Then they will look for the richest thing around and start working that.

[cao]

I have found that around here it takes 2-3 weeks for the bees to start working the white clover.  Apparently there is other richer sources of nectar when the clover starts blooming.

[beesnweeds]

The only sunflowers I see my bees work hard are lemon queens when I plant them.  Bees will forage for the pollen, and they produce a lot.  I dont believe they get much or any nectar from them.

[max2]

White Dutch clover?  White sweet clover?  White Ladino clover?  I don't know of anything that gives details of temp etc. but bees generally work whatever is the richest source of sugar that they found and continue to work that until it runs out.  So if they started working something else before the clover bloomed, they may keep working that until it runs out.  Then they will look for the richest thing around and start working that.

It is known here simply as " White Clover" Trifolium repens.

It may well perform better when the weather warms up a little more.
We do have a lot of flowers at the moment - plenty of distraction, one would think. What i have observed is that on many plants there are very few bees.

I wonder if trees like Tallowwood ( E. microcorys) or Blue Gum ( E. terreticoris) are putting energys into growth rather then nectar  due to the abundaces of rain earlier in the year?

[TheHoneyPump]

If that white clover is anything like what we have around here, it yields huge amounts.  However the conditions needed are:  cool nights with some dew and warm (but not hot) afternoons of 22 C - 28 C.  It shuts down when temperature gets high.  Also does not yield much until the afternoon and keeps flowing into the evening.  The bees are into the ditches and shrubs in the mornings but the afternoons are just a frenzy in the clover fields.

[max2]

The HoneyPump - thanks.
This is useful information.
I will look at this in more detail.
It is raining here and we expect a wet day tomorrow - good for the Clover - and then back for a few sunny days.

We keep hoping.

[Michael Bush]

Trifolium repens=white dutch.  Melitotus albus= white sweetclover.  Ladino is also Trifolium repens, but it is much larger.

[max2]

Hi Michael,
here it is known as " White Clover" or sometimes ' NZ White". Definitely NOT Ladino  - Ladino does not seem to be common in Australia.

[Michael Bush]

Another thing about white Dutch clover is that as soon as it is pollinated it goes to seed.

[max2]

If that white clover is anything like what we have around here, it yields huge amounts.  However the conditions needed are:  cool nights with some dew and warm (but not hot) afternoons of 22 C - 28 C.  It shuts down when temperature gets high.  Also does not yield much until the afternoon and keeps flowing into the evening.  The bees are into the ditches and shrubs in the mornings but the afternoons are just a frenzy in the clover fields.

We are having exactly these conditions here right now.
I did notice more bees on the clover yesterday as I checked on the cattle. There is hope!!

[Oldbeavo]

We have taken honey off commercial crop of sunflowers, honey was almost orange in color and the wax produced is a brilliant yellow. This was in mid summer when nothing else was around.