Wingin' It Apiary

Pollen of Evening primrose (Oenothera biennis) at 100x (left) and 400x (right) magnification.

Looking to attract a wide variety of pollinators to your garden? Pycnanthemum muticum is a performer, flowers in June, and lasts for months. Go big with it and dedicate some space for it to spread. In the above image, right side, simulated "bee vision" reveals a wide colorful swath of this planting.

Honey bees cluster in winter and produce heat

In winter, average temperature of cluster is 70F. In the hive, honey bees “shiver” to warm the cluster (thermogenesis). In late winter to early spring, as the queen begins to lay eggs, this heat energy is used to maintain brood at a consistent temperature, ~93F.

The right side image shows Rudbeckia hirta in simulated "bee vision." Like us, honey bees have receptors for three primary colors, however, where they lack red they make up for in ultraviolet. With ultraviolet, additional features of the flower are present, serving as a beacon for the pollinators with which it has co-evolved.

Plant glands (nectaries) secrete a sugary liquid to attract pollinators.
Extrafloral nectaries attract mutualists to defend against herbivores.
Honeydew secreted by some insects (aphids) that feed on plant sap.

Nectar drips from the reflexed sepals of Tulip Poplar flowers, a major nectar source.

A honey bee collects water

Water is essential for life, but is also used by honey bees in times of heat stress for evaporative cooling. Water is deposited within the hive and, by fanning their wings, air is circulated to provide humidity control and a stable temperature for developing brood.

A frame of capped honey, ready to be extracted.

Honey is created by the collection, reduction (evaporation), and processing (enzymatic action) of nectar.

Stored at ~18% water content. Reduced risk of spoilage by yeast which promotes long term storage.

Sealed beneath a wax capping when finished processing.

If you see a honey bee moving from flower to flower of the same species, you are witnessing a behavior described by Aristotle over two thousand years ago. Honey bees establish floral constancy after visiting a flower that provides a valuable resource, be it nectar or pollen. This constancy is revealed through brilliantly colored pollen pellets, collected to satisfy the protein requirements of the hive, and highly desirable monofloral honeys, such as sourwood derived from the nectar of a single species.

With ultraviolet added, a distinct "bull's eye" around the reproductive parts of this flower can be seen.