View Full Version : do bees feed on catalpa?
mushgirl
06-03-2008, 09:24 AM
Notice lots of catalpa blooming and wondering if bees like it or not.
Gene Weitzel
06-03-2008, 09:36 AM
I have had my bees work catalpa before, the bloom time is pretty short though.
riverrat
06-03-2008, 12:05 PM
makes a good honey from what I am told.
Billy Y.
06-03-2008, 01:36 PM
The are listed as a minor honey source in THAHB.
BULLSEYE BILL
06-03-2008, 09:10 PM
One of my yards sets under a row of catalpa, the only thing I've seen the bees do is collect propolis.
brooksbeefarm
06-03-2008, 10:07 PM
Two years ago they were all over my catalpa trees,last year I never seen a one on them? the same thing happened on my black locus trees? wish I knew why.
riverrat
06-04-2008, 10:26 AM
Two years ago they were all over my catalpa trees,last year I never seen a one on them? the same thing happened on my black locus trees? wish I knew why.
Some years are better than others on the nectar flow. I have heard black locust is hit and miss on some years
BULLSEYE BILL
06-04-2008, 10:30 AM
Some years are better than others on the nectar flow. I have heard black locust is hit and miss on some years
I thought that was due to rain washing the nectar from the flowers.
In the case of clover a wet spring and a hot blooming period makes more nectar.
Billy Y.
06-04-2008, 10:51 AM
Nectar production in flowering plants is quite fickle. Just because they are blooming doesn't mean they are producing nectar. Temps, sunlight, moisture, wind, etc, are variables.
BeeAware
06-04-2008, 09:00 PM
Bees love the southern Catalpa trees that grow in my area. Unfortunately, so do the Catalpa moths and their larvae. The larvae make good fish bait, however.