> >I am new to bee keeping and have a ranch with a fair amount of red           
> >clover in my pastures plus white clover.  I have herd conflicting            
> >information on pollination of red clover by honey bees.  Can someone give    
> >me the straight scoop wether honey bees pollinate and obtain nector from     
> >red clover?  One says they get nector and pollinate only the                 
> >later flowers in summer.  Or is it they only pollinate and not get           
> >nector?                                                                      
                                                                                
Four species of bumble bees were introduced into New Zealand in the             
1880s specifically to ensure red clover pollination.  While bumbles             
are good pollinators, honey bees can and do collect nectar/pollen and           
pollinate red clovers.  I recall some research that did pollinator              
counts on red clover that showed honey bees to be the predominant               
pollinator.                                                                     
                                                                                
  (\      Nick Wallingford                                                      
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NZ Beekeeping http://www.wave.co.nz/pages/nickw/nzbkpg.htm