Apple blossom - bees are choosy

[Amari]

A most satisfying hum has issued from our crab-apple cultivar in the garden this last several days. Bees galore on the flowers yet no honeybees on the adjacent two apple trees in bloom - Spartan and Asmead's Kernel. These two host only the occasional bumblebee. Remembering that migratory beekeepers are/were paid to take their hives to the Kent orchards it surprises me that my bees don't patronise our two eating-apple trees.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/gilesrobert/41948087691/in/dateposted-public/

 

[Millet]

I have noticed the same, we have a edible Apple tree in the garden but the bees never touch it (well maybe the odd one) even though it has thousands of nice inviting flowers, obviously they have better pickings elsewhere.

 

[enrico]

Same here but we still get thousands of apples!

 

[Beefriendly]

Nectar in apple flowers is very weak so not that attractive unless its the dominant flower in an area. Bees seem to collect the pollen rather than the nectar.

 

[For want of a better word]

Yellow stripies are all over the Cornish Quench and Cornish natives are all over the Tamar Valley Longstem... the James Grieve is being ignored.
Just an observation,,, so no need for any racist comment from the usual twits!

Yeghes da

 

[Erichalfbee]

Bees have concentrated their efforts on the pear trees rather than the apples.
The sycamores are being ignored because the fields are still full of dandelions

 

[beeno]

My bees are on our Bramely apple tree every year. Every 50cm there is a bee and they don't seem to be collecting pollen so it must be nectar. They have been foraging on it for 3 days now but the petals are starting to fall so that might be it. The crab apples don't get a look in. The hollies are in flower now, but have not seen any bees on them yet. Hives full of honey, but they have not moved a lot of it up yet. No QC either - life on the edge.

 

[oliver90owner]

Bees are not stupid. Why do the same amount of work for far less profit? Would you work for perhaps ‘half pay’ if there were a similar employer just down the road, with identical working conditions, but paying twice as much?

 

[deemann1]

Mine are all over the pear trees be interesting to see if they like the Apple just coming into bloom

 

[thenovice]

the low sugar nectar is exactly why they migrate bees into orchards. if they are not on their home patch they will first work what is in front of their eyes before venturing out and discover there is much better about...

 

[oliver90owner]

the low sugar nectar is exactly why they migrate bees into orchards. if they are not on their home patch they will first work what is in front of their eyes before venturing out and discover there is much better about...

Not really that at all. A few bees might collect locally, but the scout bees will provide the evidence of where the bees can most efficiently forage. Like I said, they are not stupid.