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With their stunning pink flush , azalea bushes are an centre - catching addition to any landscape . Every spring , these shrubs let loose a cascade of blooms that make them highly desirable for any nurseryman . astonishingly , they ’re also easy to spring up and postulate little guardianship . What ’s not to wish ? But , do bee like azaleas as much as we do ?
Yes ! Bees like azaleas , and not just the traditional pink I . Though this flora can be slow - growing , even pocket-size pubic hair can produce an stupefying routine of flower that are sure to seize the attention of your neighborhood hive !
Why are azaleas good for attracting bees?
Azaleas typically bloom between March and June . Some azaleas flush even earlier in the time of year and calculate on the variety , azaleas can bloom anywhere from February to September . They also fall in a assortment of colour , include white , violet , yellow , and blue , and bees seem to relish them all !
Bees like azalea because they ’re one of only a handful of flowers ( including bulb flowers , liketulips ) usable to them when they awake up in the springtime . When food author are special , bee are more potential to chat the flower they do n’t unremarkably like . Of course , that ’s not to say that bee do n’t enjoy azaleas . They do !
These peak have quite a turn of pollen for bee to collect . And they want that pollen for brood - nurture , so it is significant . But azalea are also a great informant of nectar , the sugary mellifluous liquid bees use to make honey . Depending on whether or not you parent your own bees , this can be a good or a bad thing ( we ’ll speak more about this in a second ! ) .
Which types of bees like azaleas?
Which bees like which flowers can be a tough thing to pin down . In theory , any bee can like any flower . But , realistically , most bees have predilection . While sealed flowers , likedaisiesandsunflowers , are universally appealing to bee , other flowers can be strike or miss . Whether or not your bee will wish your azalea depends on their unique craving . Some bees simply like azalea more than others .
When you see bee buzzing around your azalea bushes , they ’re most probable bumblebees . These are larger bee , measure about a half - inch to one inch in length . Thanks to the humblebee ’s long proboscis , they can easily reach the nectar pots that sit deep in the azalea flowers . For bumblebee , azaleas are an gentle meal .
Honeybees , on the other mitt , have belittled , shorter trunk . As a result , they ca n’t rap into that well of nectar as easy as humblebee can . But honeybee are also smaller than bumblebees so they can pull together the nectar that line the petals deep inside the blossom . And the deeper they can fit into the flower , the more ambrosia they can garner . It ingest a piece more body of work for the Apis mellifera , but depending on how dictated they are , they can still gather up ambrosia from these beautiful blooms .
In addition to bees , azaleas can serve bringhummingbirdsandbutterfliesto your yard . So if you desire to attract as many different pollinators to your garden as possible , azaleas declare oneself more flush for your buck . Just be sure to plant your azalea in acidulous , well - drain filth , in a stead where they get morning Dominicus and afternoon nicety .
Are azaleas good for bees?
Azaleas , and other members of the rhododendron crime syndicate , contain grayanotoxins . This substance is present in all parts of the plant , from the leaves and stem to the nectar and pollen . Grayanotoxins block normal sinew social function in mammals , leading to heart and boldness problems , as well as neurological issues . In some guinea pig , even being stung by a bee that has pollinated azaleas or rhododendronscan chip in to symptomsof grayanotoxin poisoning . Yikes !
The good news is bees do not come along to be susceptible to these toxins themselves . And the ground why probably has to do with how they stash away the pollen and ambrosia . See , bee do n’t commonly wipe out raw pollen and ambrosia . They ’re too difficult to digest . Instead , bees shuffle these substances with their saliva , which hold enzyme that help break them down .
Once the ambrosia and pollen have been unify with spittle to make honey and bee bread , they ’re store in the beehive . During the reposition period , the toxins in the azalea pollen and ambrosia are degraded . So , by the clip the bees eat on them , they ’re digestible . Well , for the bee , at least .
Is it safe to eat honey made from azaleas?
Honey made from the azalea plant does not harm bees . However , go through dearest made with azalea nectar can conduct to“mad honey disease”in human . In high denseness , grayanotoxins in azalea dearest can cause low blood line pressure , muddiness , lightheadedness , and atrial - ventricular cylinder block in humans . So , uncalled-for to say , it ’s best avoided .
Now , one or two azalea plants probably wo n’t make your honey toxic . bee have to natter around 1,200 flowers just to make one teaspoonful of honey . The ambrosia they collect from a couple of azalea Bush will be so diluted with ambrosia from other flowers that it should n’t posture a job to human race . Just be sure to bid your hive plenty of other non - toxic flowers to pollinate .
Lavenderis a fertile rootage of nectar that flower for long period of clip , so it can keep up with your beehive ’s demand . Meanwhile , honeysuckle , daisies , and zinnias provide muckle of pollen to keep your bees happy and hefty . Giving your bees multiple flowers to prefer from is always a smart option because bee are foragers who have intercourse to fly from peak to flower .
Even if you have a circumstances of azalea plants growing in your pace , do n’t pull them out just yet ! These plant life can still help put up your domestic bee . By take into account your hive to pollinate your azalea , you ’ll be help oneself them store up food for winter . To stave off incidentally consuming azalea honey , simply stop collecting dearest from your beehive while the azaleas are in bloom . A week or two after the azaleas die back , you may summarise honey - collecting as normal .
azalea give bees a steady supply of nectar and pollen at a clip when food is hard to find . With a few supernumerary forethought , you may employ these beautiful flowers to feed your domesticated hive . And , if you just desire to keep wild bee busy , azalea Dubyuh can avail you do that , too !
