To Rob Hughes:  If by “sumac” you mean Rhus typhina, then we do not have this species. I see that Jane Ramsay in her PLANTS FOR BEEKEEPING IN CANADA AND THE NORTHERN USA gives this species a honey potential rating of 2/3 based on Crane, et al. 1984. DIRECTORY OF IMPORTANT WORLD HONEY SOURCES. See p.15 of Ramsay for an explanation of honey potential. 2/3 is quite mediocre. 

We certainly have choke cherry (Prunus virginiana) and pin cherry (Prunus pensylvanica) which are not yet included in our photo inventory. My phenology records for pin cherry have this in flower 30 May to 28 June. These Prunis species are probably a good pollen source in the spring but not nectar.  Then, again, we lack research with respect to the relative importance of all of these species as far as hb forage is concerned.  Raspberry yes, thistles yes. Lots of lupins but of limited value to hbs because the petals are hard for the hbs to get through, as you know (bumble bees no problem).

By “Japanese bamboo” do you mean “Japanese knotweed” (Fallopia japonica)? There’s an increasing amount of this on the Avalon Peninsula where it’s a serious invasive species.  Nectar/pollen contribution to hb forage in this region is unknown.  I don’t want it on the Bonavista Peninsula.

To Peter B: I agree with tasting to ID honey, and it’s fun to compare notes with other beeks when trying to figure out what the floral source of a given flavour is.  But for indeterminate flavours where there are multiple floral sources?  It seems to me that a bit of melissopalynology would be useful, if it can be done with an acceptable level of accuracy.

By the way, I just reread Louveaux, et al.’s “Methods of Melissopalynology.” BEE WORLD. 1978. 59(4): 139-157.  I note the effort they expended in preparing reference slides for their analysis (see section 5 of the article).

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