-----Original Message-----
From: Madeleine Pym <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: 19 March 1999 15:26
Subject: Re: yellow jasmine
 
 
>. My experience is that bees seem to leave both of them alone over
>here, as with the daffodil which I rarely see a bee on.
>
I saw a number of bees  on the first few daffodils today.  Here in Northern
Scotland the daffodils are not yet properly in flower but the few hardy ones
which have flowered early are being well attended by bees.  I think this is
because there are no other plants in flower at the moment and I believe the
bees actually eat there way into unopened flowers.  Temperature may also
play a part (although in reverse in the case of the daffodil).  We have a
lot of foxgloves here in the summer and the bees totally ignore them except
for one plant which seeded itself in my greenhouse.  I left the door open
one day and discovered a couple of dozen bees working on this plant.  The
next day with the door closed the bees found there way in and out though the
roof light.  I can only conclude that the foxglove in the greenhouse had
produced nectar while those outside did not.
 
 
Harry