Hollyhock pollen?

[garprob]

We have a bunch of hollyhocks in our yard and I thought that they would be a great pollen source for the bees. I have not seen a single bee on them though. Does anyone have any other knowledge about hollyhocks and bees? Thanks!

[BEES4U]

Does anyone have any other knowledge about hollyhocks and bees?
Bees prefer the single flowered types.
I have some pink singles that should produce dried seed soon.
Ernie

[Sundance]

My bees work hollyhocks. I have loads of seeds as
well. They are like weeds

[BEES4U]

I have loads of seeds as
well. They are like weeds

What colors do you have and are they singles?
Ernie

[garprob]

I was not aware that hollyhocks came in "singles". Do you mean just one blossom per stalk? I have only seen the long tall stalks with multiple blossoms per stalk. i have a bunch of pink, red, and dark red- almost black.

[Sundance]

What colors do you have and are they singles?
Ernie

The seeds I have weren't separated by color..... I've done
that in the past, but not this go around.

Same question on definition of "singles". Mine are single
blossoms with multiple blooms per stalk.

[Zane]

We have pink and also black hollyhocks. They bloom every other year and we got lucky and get one color one year and the other the next. If you dont clean up the seed pods they will really propogate in the place their planted. They transplant easily.

[Sundance]

Black would be cool........... I don't think I have any
of those.

Perhaps we should trade some color seeds this fall??
A swap so to speak.

[beebiker]

hi garp
might be that they are doing the same thing my girls are doing, still busy finishing up with the alph alpha bloom before they start shopping around for something new to work :scratch:
i have an elderly school teacher lady at the end of the block that i think has some hollyhock, ill stroll by and see if their is any activity around her hollyhocks and let you know

beebiker

[Countryboy]

There are a ton of hollyhocks at one of my yards. I have not seen the first honeybee on a hollyhock in 2 years. I have seen bumblebees and carpenter bees on them though.

And maybe my honeybees prefer other flowers that are blooming at the same time, and they would work the hollyhocks if there wasn't any white dutch clover or radish blooms or bean blooms or dill blossoms or cucumbers/squash or thistle blossoms or any of the weird flowers in my sisters flowerbeds...

[beebiker]

well, took a peek last night at the neighbor ladys and her hollyhocks were seeing no activity either, may just be that it's to early or i was to late in the evening but with all the alph alpha on its last legs of a bloom they may be working that and will get to other stuff later

beebiker

[BEES4U]

alph alpha ?
You must mean alfalfa, right.
Ernie

[Zane]

Sorry I forgot to talk about the original question. My Hollyhocks are done this summer but I am sure the girls showed interest in them before. I actually moved some this year because they where at my entrance door and the wife didnt like the girls so close to the door.
And yes Sundance that would be good to swap seeds. Remind me later in the year if I dont get back w/ ya.:)

[Sundance]

I'll tag the colors this summer......:)

[beebiker]

alph alpha ?
You must mean alfalfa, right.
Ernie

yep, but here in wyoming we say it a tad slower ;)

[Jim Ray]

My bees are using a neighbors hollyhocks. They get covered in pollen.

I find that its all relative to what's available, but yes, hollyhocks are used.

[BruinnieBear]

I wonder if it's a question of variety. My wife has the giant variety, and looking in the blooms, there is a carpet of pollen laying on the petals below the style. For the life of me, I don't know why my bees don't use them!

I'll occasionally see a bumble go in and get coated. There must be something else the ladies are more interested in.

BB

[Carriesews]

I also have pink single hollyhocks, and haven't seen any of my honeybees on those Nor my sunflowers. In fact, I don't see my honeybees working any of my flowers! I do see those big bumblebees, butterflies, moths, other flying insects, dragonflies, misc. wild birds,my chickens, the hummingbirds and now the goldfinches are getting the ripening sunflower seeds.

I've been trying to figure out what the honeybees are getting. I scattered buckwheat seeds around my flower beds to add forage for the honeybees, so it's been rather sad to not see them even go for those blooms. I can only imagine they're travelling farther or finding something in the 2 untended acres of trees next to us or open pasture behind us. I'm too new to bees to have any other ideas, and just have two hives. One's in a tree next to the house and one's in a hive behind our house.

[Zane]

I'm guessing you have something better out there for the bee's. I planted Buckwheat also w/ not much action until just recently I trimmed my clover blooms in my orchard off just to see the bee's move over to the buckwheat overnight! They are all over it now. Them girls got it together I'm thinkin':s

[garprob]

Hey- finally discovered some of my girls working the hollyhocks. Only on the dark pink though- not any on the light pink or red. The pollen I have seen going into the hives lately is not the bright yellow pollen I see in the hollyhocks, though. It is a grayish white- no idea what it is from.