Highly bred varieties of lavender, including grosso, hidcote giant and gros blue were the most attractive to bumblebees, along with large single-flowered dahlias.
Do bees prefer English or French lavender?
Bees love lavender. This fragrant herb provides nectar for foraging bees from spring and through summer. From personal observation, they seem to like both English lavender and French lavender and hybrids.
Which lavender is best for bees and butterflies?
Dutch lavender, Lavandula x intermedia, is the best species, with variety ‘Gros Bleu’ best of all for pollinators.
Is lavender good for the bees?
Lavender is a classic bee plant and a fantastic plant for every garden for many reasons. When in flower it looks and smells wonderful. It’s a great source of nectar for butterflies and bees. It’s semi-evergreen so it has a structure and a presence through the winter.
Do bees like the scent of lavender?
There are varying thoughts on bees and the flavor of their honey, but since bees will travel up to 6.5 miles from their hive, unless you own half the county, few hives will have honey from only one source. But, simply put, bees love lavender in bloom, as they love anything in bloom where they can get nectar or pollen.
Do bees get drunk on lavender?
They are punch drunk. Last year I laid down in the lavender and was amazed at how many bees simply ran into me. FWI – Flying While Intoxicated. They can get drunk from fermented nectars in the flowers and you can imagine how many flying accidents there are.
Why do bees like lavender so much?
Lavender. If you already have lavender in your yard, then you might have noticed that when it’s in bloom, it attracts bees like a magnet. That’s because the fragrant plant has both pollen and nectar to feed the bees.
What are bees favorite flower?
1. Bee balm (Monarda spp.) This plant is called “bee balm” because it was once used to treat bee stings, but bees really are obsessed with the flowers.
Do bees sleep on lavender?
Several species of bumble bees in our bee garden seem to prefer the English lavender. They forage, they mate, and they sleep. The females sleep in their underground nests at night, while the males sleep on the lavender stems. They are a joy to have around–underground and above ground!
What smell do bees hate?
Bees also have a distaste for lavender oil, citronella oil, olive oil, vegetable oil, lemon, and lime. These are all topical defenses you can add to your skin to keep bees away. Unlike other flying insects, bees are not attracted to the scent of humans; they are just curious by nature.
Why does my lavender not attract bees?
The tubular flowers of lavender make nectar extraction harder for the shorter-tongued honey bee, which has to jam its head into each flower to get to the nectar, Nick Balfour and fellow researchers at the University of Sussex observed when studying bees visiting an experimental flower garden at the University.
Does lavender attract bees and wasps?
Lavender plants are often buzzing with insects. The shrubs bloom all summer long with tall, densely-packed, slender stems lined with flowers. Although the plant itself attracts pollinators — including wasps — the essential oil actually repels some insects, according to the University of Vermont.
Do honey bees like lavender flowers?
While both bumblebees (Bombus spp.) and honey bees (Apis mellifera) are attracted to lavender (Lavandula spp.), the plant is more popular among bumblebees.
Do bees like Spanish lavender?
Smaller in stature (about 18 inches tall and wide), it blooms for a long time (it’s the first to bloom in late winter) and is very attractive to bees.
Do lavender plants repel bees?
Avoid Violet, Blue And Yellow Flowers
Avoid planting bee-favorites like sunflowers, violets, lavender, foxglove and crocuses.
Why are there no bees in my garden 2022?
Native bee populations aren’t high enough for the necessary pollination of modern agriculture. That’s why Canadian farmers have rented hives from local beekeepers to pollinate their crops for years. This year, because colony losses were high, there may not be enough honey bee hives to go around.
Do bees like hydrangeas?
The fertile flowers of hydrangeas are small and insignificant and not as showy to our eyes but are heavily frequented by bees.
What flowers do bees not like?
10 plants that repel bees and wasps
- Cucumber. This popular vegetable not only makes a great addition to summer salads, but also keeps bees and wasps away.
- Basil. Basil is another great choice for your garden that doubles as a kitchen resource and a pest repellent.
- Geraniums.
- Wormwood.
- Marigolds.
- Pitcher Plants.
What animals are attracted to lavender?
Wildlife Benefit
Lavender also has many benefits for wildlife, especially pollinators. Flowers attract hummingbirds and many species of butterflies including painted ladies, woodland skippers and tiger swallowtails, all three of which are urban species.
Does Rosemary attract bees?
Rosemary attracts a variety of bees including mason, bumble, mining, and honey bees. It is great for other pollinators, as well, like nectar-feeding flies and butterflies.
What flower produces the most nectar for bees?
Worker bees show a preference for flowers that give them the highest pollen and nectar rewards.
- Sunflowers. Sunflowers in bloom.
- Comfrey. Russian comfrey, Symphytum x uplandicum.
- Salix/willows. Willow catkins on Salix hastata ‘Wehrhahnii’
- Catmint.
- Hellebores.
- Spring blossom.
- Michaelmas daisies.
- Heathers.
Elvira Bowen is a food expert who has dedicated her life to understanding the science of cooking. She has worked in some of the world’s most prestigious kitchens, and has published several cookbooks that have become bestsellers. Elvira is known for her creative approach to cuisine, and her passion for teaching others about the culinary arts.