Author: Colin Davenport

Dandelions, the much maligned flower that is the absolute must have forage for honey bees.

Plentiful and a fantastic self propogator, the Dandelion is just what the doctor ordered for honey bees. Having both nectar and pollen on board as a food source this is the honey bees stock in trade.

As many UK local authorities now have a policy of allowing verges and green spaces to grow without being trimmed through the spring and summer periods Dandelions are taking hold like never before. For our honey bee population this no bad thing and is to be welcomed.

If you don’t mind Dandelions and are planning to allow parts of your garden or land to go without being mowed Dandelions are likely to be the first wild flower to take hold. Feel free to fall in love with this flower as any visiting honey bees certainly will.

Producing a delightful red blossom this is Weigela or “Bristol Ruby”. This is a non native species to the United Kingdom and was introduced in 1848 from the Far East.

This species is attractive to honey bees and produces a nectar and pollen which honey bees enjoy.

A super example of honey bee forage that flowers in late spring and through into June.

From our Bee Forage and Spring Flowers range of posts here we have Horse Chestnut Blossom from May 2023.

This is a wonderful example of Bee Forage at its best. A spring flower with a short flowering season of around 2 to 3 weeks. Horse Chestnut Blossom is a fantastic source of early forage that honey bees adore. What a super flower which is almost tropical in appearance and represents the ultimate symbiosis of bees and plant life. This flower once pollinated by bees turns into the much love conkers that kids can’t get enough of in the autumn.

This flip side of the relationship is the rather delicious honey bees are able to produce from this blossom. The best honey receives the most diverse forage and horse chestnut blossom is the perfect addition to honey bees forage options.