Hi Betty...
 
Thanks for you message!  I have just begun to take notice of what's
blooming around a mile radius from my home.  There are a lot of eucalyptus
trees; many more than I had realized, as well as star thistle.  I guess I
really can't control what the bees will go for, so it will be interesting
to see what the bees come up with!
 
Thanks again,
 
Mary
 
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> From: j h & e mcadam <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Looking for California Bee Forage Plants
> Date: Tuesday, November 18, 1997 4:01 AM
>
> Mary Caldwell wrote
>
>
> >I have spoken with my local beekeeping association, and that's how I
know
> >about star thistle and eucalyptus, but I was wondering what I could put
in
> >my yard for my bees, since I wasn't sure how far the bees would go for
> >nectar and pollen.
>
> Mary, I count everything within a mile in any direction of my hives as
> foraging territory.  Bees will fly further but it's a bit harder to build
up
> a honey surplus.  As a rule of thumb I believe an acre of blossom per
hive
> will yield a honey flow.  The bees will hunt down and select their
> favourites. If there is an area with a concentration of one nectar source
> the bees will concentrate on that.
>
> Remember the bees know best - and they may well surprise you as they are
> constantly surprising me.
>
> Betty McAdam
> HOG BAY APIARY
> Penneshaw, Kangaroo Island
> j.h. & e. mcadam<[log in to unmask]
> http://kigateway.eastend.com.au/hogbay/hogbay1.htm