Bee Friendly Planting
Bees have been making honey for over one hundred and fifty million years. To make 450gms of honey, bees fly over 55,000 miles, or twice around the world.
Though a few colonies exist in the wild, the majority are domesticated, living in hives all year round. A single bee hive may contain as many as 60,000 individuals. The colony consists of a queen, who can live for three to four years, and many of her daughters. In summer, male drones will also emerge from special drone cells, and have the sole purpose of mating with queens. In winter, the hive goes into survival mode: the drones are evicted, the workers huddle together to keep warm, and the larvae are fed on stores of pollen and honey. In spring, a new generation of bees starts to be raised for the summer months.
Whether you have a small patio, or a large garden, growing flowering plants is a great way to help Britain's bees. One of the simplest ways to attract bees to visit your garden is by growing flowers rich in pollen and nectar – perennial plants are a good backdrop, but don't ignore flowering annuals, shrubs and trees, too.
It is important to grow a range of plants that will provide a continuous flowering period, especially from March to September.
You should also be sure to grow plenty of single flowers. Honeybees have a short tongue (proboscis)length, meaning they are limited to certain pollen sources. Double and multi-petalled flowers make the pollen and nectar inaccessible to bees and other pollinators.
Here at Lakeside Bee Services our garden apiary is full of flowering plants of all kinds and we strive always to have attractive pollen-bearing plants in as much variety as possible.
Even in winter, there are flowers and plants that will be attract bees. Snowdrops, winter aconites, ivy, crocuses, hellebores, mahonia, winter honeysuckle and clematis are all good early food sources for bees.
Looking ahead to spring, as well as the usual suspects of daffodils and narcissus, consider a flowering cherry, perhaps a crab apple tree or some hawthorn. Just as popular with bees, are bugle, pulmonaria, thrift, alliums and grape hyacinth.
Pollinating insects need food, water and shelter. They love plants which are rich in nectar and pollen. Nectar contains sugar for energy, while pollen contains protein and oils – making sure they receive a balanced diet.
Bees provide us with an invaluable service by pollinating the plants we grow. This process is essential because it allows plants to reproduce, and many plants depend on bees or other pollinators to survive.
A bee collects nectar and pollen from the flower of a plant, as well as some from the stamens - the male reproductive organ of the plants. When the bee visits the next flower, the pollen is transported onto the stigma, or the tip of the pistil - the female reproductive organ of the flower. This is essential to the process of fertilisation in plants and food crops including fruits.
Many of the plants we consider weeds actually do a great job of supporting wildlife. Lawn clovers and dandelions will attract and provide food for bees. This gives the perfect reason to forget the weeding. Why not leave a corner of the garden completely undisturbed and let nature take its course?
If you find a honey bee colony has moved into a part of your property, whether it’s a chimney stack, brick wall or wooden shed, we can help you with safe removal. Our aim wherever possible is to avoid dismantling your home wherever possible and to protect the colony.
Lakeside Bee Services offers a range of products and services to support the preservation of bee populations. Our live bee removal services are designed to safely remove bees from unwelcome locations and bring them back to our country garden apiary, where the colony can thrive.
