smaller bees,smaller flowers

[hoosierhiver]

i've seen it mentioned that smaller bees can, in theory at least feed on a greater variety of flowers.are there any known examples of this/flower species known to be only available to smaller bees?

[Solomon Parker]

I've seen very small flowers where the bee could not land on them because the stalk that the flower was on would fall over, doesnt make for very effective foraging. Maybe smaller bees would not have such a problem.

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Sol Parker
Southern Oregon Apiaries

[Michael Bush]

There are many wildflowers that Honey bees can't get to at all. Alfalf is a flower that the honey bee can get the nectar with it's long tongue, but can't get into the flower to pollenate it.

I'm sure there are many flowers on the border between big enough for an unaturally large honey bee and too small for a 5.4m bee but not too small for 4.9mm bee.

[Dee A. Lusby]

Hi all here,
Many herbals and medicinal plants are smaller plants. Also wild berry bushes. Also most all endangered species plants are smaller plants for some reason! ;> )

Kinda makes one wonder what we have done to our environment the past 100 years or so as caretakers of the Garden of Eden.

Regards,

Dee A. Lusby

[Michael Bush]

It is true a lot of the endagered ones are small flowers. We wiped out the mason bees, the leaf cutter bees, the alakli bees with the DDT. I have noticed, though, that my pear tree is covered with mason bees and orchard bees, but my honey bees do not seem at all interested. So the smaller bees are making a comeback.

[Dee A. Lusby]

Michael wrote:
It is true a lot of the endagered ones are small flowers. We wiped out the mason bees, the leaf cutter bees, the alakli bees with the DDT. I have noticed, though, that my pear tree is covered with mason bees and orchard bees, but my honey bees do not seem at all interested. So the smaller bees are making a comeback.

Reply:
This is good you are seeing mason bees and orchard bees there. Each has its own range in nature specific to which they go. If more chemicals, etc were layed off of and more natural controls used it would sure help them all and especially us with a healthy diet. Good to know that honeybees do not control all the fruit crops. They do citrus, good to know that they don't do pears.

You know any other fruit other bees have to help with?

Regards,

Dee A. Lusby

[Michael Bush]

Another good sign I see around here is the plethora of lady bugs. Thousands of them in clusters on my cedar trees when it's cold. I think there is not much pesticide used around here or the mason bees and the ladybugs wouldn't be in such supply.

I have seen my honey bees work the pears in the past. They just arrived here (and are right next to the tree) but must have found something more lucrative.

I think it would be fun to get some boards and raise the mason bees and rent them to the orchards near here.

[Robert Brenchley]

Its really easy to encourage mason bees. Two years ago I put up a nester and a single female filled five tubes. Last year I had them all over the place, and thirty tubes were filled. This year they're just hatching out now. I believe parasites can become a problem, but its encouraging so far.