"Velvet" wrote in message
oups.com...



Haven't the foggiest. Solitary bees seem to be out very early in the
spring compared to other bees, so I guess earlier flowering things
would be good to provide. I have a feeling they're rumoured to be
excellent for fruit trees due to waking earlier than the honeys, but
I'm not at all an expert on any of them - I just like the docile little
creatures (whereas dislike to outright fear is a factor of honeybees
and wasps).

The rumour about pollination of fruit trees is wrong. Top fruit tree blossom
doesn't start to produce nectar until the temperature is higher than it is
in the morning. That's why grass is kept weed-free. Dandelions and some
other 'weeds' begin to produce nectar at lower temperatures than fruit trees
and once honey bees have begun to forage on a particular plant they'll
continue until the supply is exhausted. The bees are drawn to the blossom by
nectar, not pollen, they can't help pollinating the flowers whhilie they're
collecting nectar.

Beehives are hired by fruit growers at pollination time, they don't hire
solitary bees for the purpose.

Mary