Bees are attracted to a variety of flowers, one of which is dandelions. Dandelion is one of the unique beautiful species of flowers mostly found in the forest.
You’d rarely find gardeners growing this plant. It naturally sprouts out in the wild.
Bees will land on dandelions and other plants because it contains nectar and pollen which they need for producing honey. Also dandelions are good for bees because they provide them a place to land and also some shelter.
This plant attracts bees just like roses do. Although they don’t really benefit so much from dandelions, bees still like hovering around the plant.
Interestingly, a lot of people don’t know why bees are fond of visiting dandelions.
Considering the fact that the flower is not a great source of pollen for bees, no one expects bees to be around them.
But in as much as bees like dandelions, they prefer to be around other plants such as sunflowers and roses because they benefit more from these plants.
Why are bees attracted to dandelion flowers?
Dandelions are great plants for bees. They are rich in pollen and nectar, which are the two main ingredients that bees need to make honey.
Dandelions aren’t as beautiful or attractive as sunflowers and most species of rose, yet bees are attracted to them because of the nectar and pollen they are able to get from the plant.
The plant is a great source of food for bees because, without nectar and pollen, there would be nothing for bees to eat.
Amazingly, bees aren’t the only insects that love feasting on the goodness of dandelions. Butterflies and hoverflies also hang around the plant.
Related: Here is an article I wrote on are roses good for bees?
Do dandelions attract bees?
Bees spend about half their entire lifetime searching and extracting pollen and nectar from flowers.
Any plant that’s able to provide bees with these two substances will inevitably attract them.
Dandelion flowers absolutely grab the attention of bees because they contain pollen and nectar.
These hardworking insects are attracted to dandelion, which is one of the various flowers that can be pollinated.
Dandelions are not usually grown by gardeners or farmers since it isn’t so beautiful like sunflowers or roses.
Dandelion flowers are normally found in the wild, where they sprout out and flourish naturally.
Each time bees need to get pollen or nectar, they find a way to locate this plant or any other flower that can provide them with their paramount need.
Are dandelions bad for bees?
Although dandelion isn’t loved by most people, the plant isn’t bad for bees. As a matter of fact, plants like dandelion flowers are the reason why bees haven’t gone extinct as of today.
This plant contains almost all the vital substances that are essential to the survival of bees.
Having considered this, it would inappropriate to classify dandelions as plants that aren’t good for bees.
More importantly, this amazing plant is not hard to find. Unlike other flowers like sunflowers, dandelions can be easily discovered by bees.
Also check out this article I wrote on do bees have venom or poison
Do honey bees eat dandelions?
Bees don’t literally eat dandelions. What they simply do is extract the pollen and nectar that the plant produces.
As a matter of fact, bees don’t eat any flowers at all.
Beekeepers can attest to the fact that honey bees like dandelions. These bees are fond of flocking to the plant since it gives them the opportunity to produce their honey.
During the early spring, bees are often seen searching for dandelions.
Spring, the early period of the year, is when dandelions bloom and flourish abundantly. Other pollinated plants also spring forth during this season.
However, in as much as this pollinated plant is important to bees, experts have concluded that dandelion is not the perfect food source that bees need.
Researchers have discovered that bees are unable to derive sufficient pollen and nectar for making honey.
Consequently, bees have low success at creating food when they rely on this plant.
Amazingly, bees are intelligent enough to understand that they can’t rely solely on dandelion flowers.
This is why they visit a large number of flowers so they can get pollen and nectar.
Is dandelion pollen good for bees?
For thousands of years, dandelion has remained one of the special plants that compel bees to hover around them.
Dandelion provides bees with pollen, and it’s not bad for the insects. As a matter of fact, there isn’t any pollen that is bad for bees.
However, experts believe that bees are able to get more rich pollen when they rely on plants like sunflowers.
Sunflowers don’t only provide better pollen, they provide enough pollen.
Anytime bees are unable to find sunflowers, they consider dandelions or roses as their next option.
Besides, since the dandelion flowers are not difficult to find, these insects are quick to go fetch pollen from them.
Does spraying dandelions kill bees?
Most people don’t like dandelions. Unlike roses and sunflowers, this plant isn’t so beautiful and can’t be used as a natural decoration.
As a result of this, whenever dandelion flowers naturally grow in people’s gardens, they find a way to get rid of them.
Sometimes, people make use of pesticides to get rid of dandelions, which is a very unsafe method due to the bees that tend to come around this plant.
Pesticides are toxic to bees, as well as other insects and even birds.
There are some commercial products that safe to use around bees.
If you need to clear out weeds or any other unwanted plant, ensure you do it appropriately by getting rid of the plant without hurting other creatures.
What do bees take from dandelions?
Bees would never hover around a plant unless there is something special they need to get from the plant.
Sometimes, they may be attracted to plant, but once they realize the plant offers nothing, they’d relocate to another plant.
Bees take nectar and pollen from dandelion flowers. Nectar and pollen are the two main ingredients that these insects need in producing their honey.
If they don’t get these two components, they can’t make honey.
Dandelions aid bees in honey production by providing the insects with what they need. Nectar and pollen are the only things derived from dandelion flowers.
Do dandelions have nectar?
Asking if dandelions have nectar is like wondering if iron conducts electricity.
Dandelions do have nectar. But surprisingly, bees are the only known insects that collect this sweet liquid from the flower.
Other insects, as well as birds, don’t usually hover around dandelions even though they love plants that secret nectar.
They prefer to get nectar from other sources such as sunflowers and different species of roses.
Moreover, dandelion flowers do not only secret only nectar. Just as you’ve previously read, the plant also provides pollen, which is as important as nectar.
Bees have a habit of hanging around dandelions and other similar flowers so that they can pollinate them.
Conclusion
If you intend to know the various plants that bees are attracted to, dandelions should be on your list.
Sunflowers and roses aren’t the only flowers that draw the attention of bees. Dandelion flowers do too.
Also, it is not uncommon to find bees flocking to dandelions all the time.
This is how bees typically behave around any flowering plant that secretes nectar and provides pollen.
No matter how beautiful or attractive a plant is, if it doesn’t secrete nectar and have pollen, you will barely witness bees hovering over the plant.
