In reply to Peter in NL:
In NB we only have Rhus typhina as far as I can tell. It's hard to tell
how much it contributes to local flows. It flowers here from July 5-20th
normally, which is when our main honey flows also occur. There is lots for
the bees to choose from then, but the sumac bushes are reliably busy with
honey bees pretty much any time you take a look.
The Japanese knotweed flowers about August 30-Sep 15 when nectar sources
are typically getting a bit scarce. The bushes are always alive with bees,
almost in a frenzy. Nectar only as far as I can tell. Not only bees but a
great number and variety of flies, wasps and hornets are also strongly
attracted to the flowers of this plant. Japanese knotweed can be a
nuisance in the wrong place, but is not nearly as nasty as the wild parsnip
(Pastinaca sativa) that is spreading rapidly here and unfortunately seems
to offer little for our bees...
Rob Hughes
Central NB
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