Whats Flowering Today
- Thread starter StephenB
- Start date
Do honey bees use chestnut flowers
I have a tree with the red chestnut flowers and I only see bumble bees on the flowers .
The horse chestnut which is flowering now is not much good for bees, I think they might get a bit honey from it. But the sweet chestnut is a great source of nectar, but not grown much in NZ. The two trees aren't related, the sweet chestnut flowering later than the horse chestnut. It produces a beautiful dark and intense honey.
I see red pollen in my town hives this time of year, pretty sure this is from horse chestnuts. The trees are probably my favourite of the European trees (although I do love oaks as well) and are truly magnificent in full flower. Lots in Dunedin, especially around the Uni.
Hi Otto - I had a customer rock up the other day, mid canty, v experienced commercial guy, with a photo taken a couple of days ago with a red/maroon pollen. Neither of us could work it out. I have just emailed him your above comment. It would be interesting to work it out.
If it would help solve the query, can I give him your email address? Cheers. Maggie
If it would help solve the query, can I give him your email address? Cheers. Maggie
Just yesterday I seen some red pollen in some hives too and was wondering what it could be, that would solve the mystery, thank you. I agree, they're beautiful trees especially in full flower. Do you get many Linden trees over there, not showy at all, but graceful and really good honey of them?
There are some very nice Linden trees around Dunedin and they fair hum with bees when in flower. Not sure that there are enough to ever consider honey harvested to be Linden honey.
The Pride of Madeira has all but stopped on the peninsula, but now the bees are in the ngaio and gums.
Every spring I wish I had hives there… just too far away for a hobbyist
Every spring I wish I had hives there… just too far away for a hobbyist
A few years ago I had some hives on a lavender farm over the road from Islington, an old big house with linden trees. One year they gave good nectar for a small crop of linden honey (50 Kg) - Dave Black gave me an opinion on it - and some German tourists confirmed it was the real stuff. It was very good, and I made some ice cream with it. It did not last long but I reluctantly moved away from that apiary. Apparently linden trees can not be relied on.
I have a good lime tree here down the Otago Peninsula, and it just contributes to the good flavour of the honey of the 5 hives here. Really hums when in flower.
