Fig trees

[GA-BEE]

How do bees take to fig tree fruit? We have a massive fig tree that bears a ton of fruit each year and what we can't pick are devoured by wasps, hornets, yellow jackets and of course the birds. Just wondering how the bees will take to it and if so do they turn it into honey, or what do they use it for?

[Michael Bush]

I have a pear tree right next to the hives. They gather a lot of pear juice when the fruit starts to spoil on the ground. I'm sure they use it like nectar and make honey out of it. It will have more impurities (As in solids) and will cause the bees to need to take more cleansing flights but doesn't seem to hurt them any.

[wayacoyote]

>> Figs.
Remember that bees have "sucking" mouthparts. I usually only see them on my figs after the wasps or something else has broken the skin. (I point this out because there are some people who think that honey bees will eat the watermellons out of the garden).
As for what they do with the figs, I am sure they take some pollen and honey, mix it together to make a stiff bee bread. Put the fig in the middle and call it a newton.
YuuuuuuuuMMMMyyyyyy
Wayacoyote

[tony williams]

your riped man that was wild and far out, NOT!!!

[newbee 101]

????

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"To bee or not to bee, that is the question"

[Pugs]

Some fig trees are self pollinating. Those that aren't are pollinated by a wasp. I can't remember which wasp.

Of course this doesn't mean the bees won't try and get pollen or nectar from them. And of course, if there is a sweet juice coming out of the figs, the bees will go for that too.

Pugs