bee on crown vetch

[BjornBee]

There have been several discussions about bees on crown vetch. Some type vetch's produce nectar, and some don't. I have no idea what kind this is, but a small patch is growing in my garden. I happened to catch this bee working the flowers very hard.

http://s186.photobucket.com/albums/x236/BjornBee/?action=view&current=Beepictures013.jpg

[jessbee]

We have this type of vetch all over the place (where we do not mow) in Western Va. The bees seems to work it sometimes, but not exclusively, and a various times throughout the day. I see other kinds of bees on it also.

I always called this common vetch, but it seems that Crown Vetch is the actual name, according to the Peterson Wildflowers book.

Do you have Purple Vetch? The flowers are long, small, and purple, not at all like crown vetch. It also blooms earlier. I see the bees on this also.