Re: OT: weather and bees
From: "J.F. Hensler" <hensler@povn.com>
Cindy,
Pollen isn't too difficult to identify during most of the season. Figuring out where the honey comes from is almost as easy.
With pollen, the amount and color compared to what's blooming can usually narrow the choices down in a hurry. In a few weeks, the tulips will start blooming and they'll be alive with bees. Since they're the only thing open, Honey is drawn off here at least 3 times during the season and we're always paying attention to the bees so we can help out if need be by planting more of what they like. (Our raspberries are delicious, but are primarily for the bees... same thing goes for broccoli. We allow it to flower because they love it and it blooms when so little else is still going strong.) With some honeys, the flavor is easy to identify once you know which plants the bees were working at the time.
Honeybees and Bumblers are built differently so some flowers seem to provide easier access to one or the other. Bumblebees are usually too busy with our other perennials to bother with the irises.
Bill Shear might be the one to ask about whether or not there's any animosity between wasps and bees.
Christy Hensler
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