Here's what the chestnut grower replies...

"Thanks...for the feedback.  The bees hive I borrowed has been in the
orchard for four or five days now and I don't see them visiting the
catkins
(male flowers) yet.  I can't tell where they are flying off to, but
there
are lots of wild radish and blackberry flowers that they've been
familiar
with over the past month.  I'm still uncertain if the bees will help
pollinate the chestnuts and the link to the book source that one of the
guys
below sent said the bees "do not intentionally visit the pistillate
flowers,
but may accidentally come in contact with them while visiting the
staminate
flowers."  Maybe just them disturbing the pollen will help the wind
spread
it around.  I've got nothing to lose giving it a try.  One professor
from
Turkey that I met in Italy told me that the bees were not a good idea
because they eat pollen.  I don't know about that and will give it a try
this year to see if I notice any improvement.  My chestnut catkins have
been
releasing pollen for a week or so (I'm earlier than France) and it
should
continue on for a month or two".

allen
http://www.honeybeeworld.com

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