Spring is starting and with it we could already observe the increasing buzzing of bees in the early pre-spring. Bees are the fastest of all flying insects to wake up from winter rest, so as soon as the first flowers start to peek out, they won't let the first spring braves from the hive wait for long.
The pollination activity of bees begins with the warmer rays, when in our conditions of the temperate zone their work is actually greatest in early spring and spring, especially if we compare it with other insect pollinators. It is almost unbelievable that tens of thousands of workers start work right from the start, and they are able to overcome a distance of more than five kilometers from the hive in order to collect the first spring nectar and pollen. At the same time, when taking off from the hive, they are always faithful to one type of plant, which guarantees uniform pollination. It is interesting that bees have a perfect collection apparatus for these purposes in the form of very dense body hair.
At this time, of course, the reproduction that belongs to spring throughout nature also occurs. The brooding of the queen bee begins and the club with the first worker bee of the year, the drones hatch a little later. A beekeeper also comes who checks his hives after winter and needs to assess changes in the strength of a particular bee colony. During the entire spring period, his observational role comes first, when he watches bee colonies and lends a helping hand where needed.
Bees don't have it easy after hibernation and usually need to quickly replenish their strength and increase the hive's supplies to expand the bee colony and prepare for the main collection season. We can help this too, each of us, when we plant so-called honey-bearing plants on balconies or in gardens, which mainly create a nesting base in the vicinity of beehives, while they are also colorful flowers that attract bees for pollination by their conspicuousness. The interesting thing for us is that bees see red as black and are most attracted to the "ultraviolet" glowing color, which to our eyes is the color yellow (canola field) and white. We can add drinkers for bees to balconies and gardens, when a tray under a flower pot with pebbles and a little water is enough.
So which plants are they? If we do not assume that you will plant the most suitable trees in your garden, such as sunny Magnolia, Hawthorn, Bird cherry, Blackthorn or Apple tree, consider at least Willow or Apricot. The first spring Bledula, Snowdrops and Narcissus and Talovína are a quality source of the first nectar in nature. Spring saffrons called crocuses, tulips, bluebells, křivatce, Hluchavka and Plicník are an attractive addition to the bee pasture. Among the herbs that start to peek out in the spring and please the bees, we include the sycamore, the dandelion, the sage or the popular mother-of-pearl, which provides a rich nectar source.
Resources:
ŠVAMBERK, Václav. Beekeeping: plants known and unknown: a unique collection of 556 beekeeping-important plants . 2nd edition. In Kožlany: Mája, association for the development of beekeeping, 2019. ISBN 9788088045052.
