Habitat
Several times recently I’ve had conversations with folks who are interested in beekeeping for different reasons. “What will your bees eat?” I ask, or something like it. Just as a cattle farmer has to know that the pastures are in good shape, or else bring in hay, a bee farmer has to know that the bees will have pollen and nectar or else be ready to supplement the food they need. Nectar, stored as honey, is the carbohydrate or energy source that a hive lives on. Pollen, mixed with nectar and stored as a ferment that we beekeepers call “bee bread,” is the protein a hive uses to grow.
"Both of those come from flowers, and so my bees will eat from my flowers." Yes! In general, your bees will figure it out. It’s what they do. But if you want to harvest honey, you'll need to make sure that the bees put up a surplus of honey, beyond what they'll consume as they fly. Timing is important, though, and knowing when to work in the hives, when to harvest honey, and when the bees will need extra resources depends on what is blooming or not in a season, or even a particular week.
The lemon thyme is a big hit and a big bloomer. Ours has been going since April.
Echinacea, or coneflower, is popular with bumblebees but the honeybees will show up when they are planted in big stands with lots of blooming at one time.
The "double leaf" on this Rose of Sharon ( Hibiscus syriacus, Sugar Tip ) doesn't make it easy to get to the nectar, but these girls are still giving it a go.
You can tell by her wings that the darker bee on the left is an aging forager. I've heard some wise bee scientist explain that bees have less of a lifespan, and more of a mileage limit. They fly until their wings wear out. Winter bees don't have as many warm, clear days for flying, and so they live longer cooped up in the hive. But summer bees like this old girl fly their wings ragged bringing nectar and pollen to the hive as long as it still can be found on the flowers. Oregano flowers have been a big hit this week.