My number one hobby is gardening and I definitely have hundreds of plants (including veggies, herbs and ornamentals), shrubs and trees on my property. Some are certainly hybrids that probably offer little nutritional nectar, but many are local species that are known for being honey bee banquets.
It has been my observation, that my bees rarely hit my flowers unless it is a planted crop (like buckwheat) or a weed (like clover) or an early bloomer (like maples and hollies). I might see a couple on a flower or two, but never real foraging.
Maybe this is a unique experience just for me, but my personal belief is that the bees like to find an area where there are a ton of the same bloomers in bloom. I might have a patch of 7 to 12 of the same type of flowers, but I do not have hundreds of the same variety on my property. I think my bees go out and look for these areas, which they communicate to the hive and that's where the vast majority of your bees go.
But, there's nothing scientific to my belief and I could definitely be wrong. Just my opinion and personal experience.
It has been my observation, that my bees rarely hit my flowers unless it is a planted crop (like buckwheat) or a weed (like clover) or an early bloomer (like maples and hollies). I might see a couple on a flower or two, but never real foraging.
Maybe this is a unique experience just for me, but my personal belief is that the bees like to find an area where there are a ton of the same bloomers in bloom. I might have a patch of 7 to 12 of the same type of flowers, but I do not have hundreds of the same variety on my property. I think my bees go out and look for these areas, which they communicate to the hive and that's where the vast majority of your bees go.
But, there's nothing scientific to my belief and I could definitely be wrong. Just my opinion and personal experience.