>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?  Thanks  Robert Cessac                                                 
>                                                                               
>K-B Ranch                                                                      
>Natural Beef                                                                   
>                                                                               
>2362 St. Rt. O                                                                 
>Higbee, MO. 65257                                                              
>816-248-5201                                                                   
>                                                                               
>[log in to unmask]                                                 
>                                                                               
Hi Robert,                                                                      
                                                                                
        No red clover does not need pollination as it is self pollinating,      
however bees gather some store of pollen and nectar (honey) from red clover.    
                                                                                
        White clover however does need the bees, their assistance will          
increase the flowering and the seed quality and quanity for seed production.    
                                                                                
        There are new strains of clover that have been geneticly changed in     
many areas like self polination, seed set and growth periods.                   
Thanks from :                                                                   
                        [log in to unmask]                                    
                 http://www.eastend.com.au/~goble                               
            [log in to unmask] ( David Goble )                         
           American Beach Kangaroo Island South Australia