[angel]

Researching about major and minor nectar sources for honeybees, but I cannot find anything on who determines or what determines a flower/tree/plant as a major or minor nectar source. Is this something the FDA/Government/Ag Society or some association determines or does it depend on your local area? Can someone help shed some light on this question?

 

[beeware10]

the major honey plant flow is determined by the bees and how much honey they produce from various sources. there would be no production if the government was involved.

 

[djei5]

the major honey plant flow is determined by the bees and how much honey they produce from various sources. there would be no production if the government was involved.

:thumbsup::applause:

 

[drlonzo]

There are lists of diff sources for pollen and nectar on the net that people have come up with over the years that can tell you if a certain plant or tree has a major/minor nectar,pollen flow to them. Some of the lists can actually tell you how much honey/pollen bees will collect per acre of certain plants/trees.

 

[enjambres]

And keep it mind that it depends on the year. Some "major" plants don't deliver every year because they are alternate (or longer cycle for some trees) blooming. And some years a particular plant will be seriously affected by weather - even weather that happened months, or even a year ago. In addition, the array/menu of available blossoms varies by location so when bees can't get get their favorite source, they default to other ones that would otherwise be considered "minor" sources. Also small stands, or individual (non-tree) plants, of even "major" sources may not attract attention of the bees. They have a high energy investment in their search efforts so they might pass up an otherwise attractive nectar or pollen source that's too small in number, in favor of a lesser source in great abundance.

I am a horticultirist by trade and a good deal of the info that I've seen on the net is pretty useless. It seems that someone, some time, somewhere saw bees on a particular plant, so it becomes described online as a honey plant.

There is I believe a really good, though older, book on bee forage plants. I haven't tracked it down, yet.

 

[sqkcrk]

Frank C. Pellet, look it up.

 

[Acebird]

does it depend on your local area?

It most definitely depends on local area, time of year, and climate. Most will admit climate changes so to with the nectar sources. And then there is mankind who inadvertently will change nectar sources.