Great Sunflower Project

[paintingpreacher]

Program to help researcers detemine where honeybees are prevalent and where they aren't. Read about this in Rurallife magazine. Thought some might be interested in counting bees. www.greatsunflower.org

[danno1800]

Thanks for posting the link to this. I have forwarded it to many friends. Thanks again! -Danno

[dcross]

I have sunflowers in the garden, but they frequently have no honeybees on them! Does that mean I have a low population? How many more hives should I get...:)

[Troy]

Many of the hybrid sunflowers have no pollen for the bees. The original wild sunflower is the one you want according to the web site.

I found the link to where to buy them, but the poster had the link to a hybrid.

Here is the correct link to the wild sunflower that they want you to use. http://www.americanmeadows.com/WildflowerSeeds/Species/WildSunflowerseeds.aspx

1/4 lb for 7.95 they say a lb contains over 20,000 seeds so a 1/4 lb should be about 5000 of them. That should plant a pretty nice garden.

[dragonfly]

I have sunflowers in the garden, but they frequently have no honeybees on them! Does that mean I have a low population? How many more hives should I get...:)


It more likely means there are more attractive flowers to the bees in the vicinity. I have plenty of "wild" black oil sunflowers, and although they will be covered by bumblebees, I rarely see a honeybee on them.

[MapMan]

I'm a bit fuzzy on how this "Great Sunflower Project" will help, even after reading the "How Will the Great Sunflower Project Help" section on the site. Sounds like a great way to sell sunflower seeds.

When I read "urban poor, who spend 50-70% of their income on food", with no references to this supposed "fact", I became a skeptic.

Here are some findings on food expenditures as a share of disposable income:

http://www.ers.usda.gov/briefing/CPIFoodAndExpenditures/Data/table7.htm

MM

[RayMarler]

I have been told (so I cannot verify the correctness of it) that sunflower pollen is a low grade inferior pollen and the honeybees will only work it if there is no other better source to be found.

[Zane]

I planted some food plots this spring for wildlife. I have over an acre of sunflowers spread around my property and have not seen my homeybee's on them ever! I hope they get something out of them but I dont see honeybee's taking a shine to them.

[riverrat]

I have not seen my homeybee's on them ever! .

You got some of them pack'in Gangsta bees in your hood:D

[Zane]

lol "homey". I recon I have about as many gangsta's in my neck o da woods as over your way! Nobody said I could spell!!!!!!lol good eye riverrat!

[rriley]

Yup I have about 1.5 acres of sunflowers for dove hunting and havent seen one honeybee on them. I have however seen several bumblebees. Next year I plan on planting a large plot of white clover. Does anyone know of any other wild flowers that would benefit bees?

[notaclue]

While the sunflower seed (black oil) volunteers from the bird feeder grew and when they bloomed they had honey bees all over them. There were mints, clover and other blooms also with bees all over all but the dandelions and a couple other blooms that had no honey bees on them. I have noticed that I have never seen a honey bee on grey stripe (?) sunflowers or the huge nine and ten foot monster plants. Come to thionk of it I've never seen a bird on them either, just the black oil.

[swabby]

My son-in-law gave me some of the large 10-12ft. high sunflowers seed last spring. I planted them and they are now large flowers ,only bumble bees and wasp are working them. I was going to save enough seed to plant the whole field next year .However I am not interested in planting for BB's .

[Troy]

The 10-12 footers are hybrids. In order for honey bees to like them they have to be the original wild sunflower plant.

See my link to the original wild sunflowers in an earlier post.

Wild sunflowers are only 2-3 feet tall and the flowers are proportionately smaller too.

I'm going to order some and give it a go next spring. Last frost here in FL is Feb 15th, so about Valentines day is my planting goal.