Bees pollinate to improve plant fertilization and help their habitat survive. Bees collect pollen and nectar from plants, which is essential for their survival. This act also helps plants thrive. As a beginner beekeeper, you may wonder how bees collect pollen from flowers. We will explore the fascinating process of how bees pollinate plants.
Identifying the Right Flower To Collect Pollen
We could assume bees are like us and meet in a group to determine what flora to assign themselves to for the day. But it’s not like that—bees have a criterion each plant must meet before pollinating. Bees enjoy vibrant, bright plants with a sweet fragrance—sorry, Hyacinth lovers! The sweetest of blooms are usually located near water. Once a bee has identified a flower that meets these criteria, it leaves immediately to show off the plant to other bees.
Pollen Collection Technique
Bees have a pollen collection technique involving their front legs and saliva. They use their legs to push pollen off the flower’s stamen and moisten it with their spit. The spit makes the pollen sticky so it’s easier to pack onto their hind leg’s tiny hairs. These tiny leg hairs make it easier to carry pollen back to the hive and spread it along the way to improve fertilization.
Pollen Transporting
Let’s return to those hind leg hairs—bees accumulate pollen from different plants throughout their flight. Once a bee has collected enough pollen, it returns to the hive to deposit the substance into honeycombs. While transporting pollen back to the colony, bees mix nectar and pollen to create “bee bread,” a healthy food source for the colony.
Benefits of Pollen Collection for Bees
Bees are clever creatures and spend a lot of time pollinating to help their hive survive. Why is pollinating essential to bees? Pollen collecting isn’t just a passionate hobby for the bee; it’s a method of survival that builds their food supply. Pollination provides nutrients to bees for healthy growth. These buzzing pollinators help to fertilize fruits, vegetables, and flowering plants.
Bees collect pollen from flowers through a careful process. This process is essential for the survival of bee colonies and plant fertilization. As a beginner beekeeper, it is crucial to understand the process of maintaining healthy and thriving bee colonies. By doing so, you can support the growth and development of many plant species, which benefits us all!
We’re eager to help you build your bee colonies so they can fertilize flowering plants and crops. Minimize treatments for the hives with mite resistant bees for sale from The B Farm. Our bees are mighty; together, we can achieve healthier hives and thriving plants!