Scot Mc Pherson wrote:

"There are three primary factors in forage selection;
1) sweetness of crop (sugar content)
2) abundance of crop
3) distinctiveness of crop (color and smell of flower)..."

Actually, the determining factor on where honey bees forage is the concept of maximizing return on investment.  If there is an abundance of high sucrose/fructose content in a floral source, it is of appeal to the bees.  If there is a "lesser" source, it will be of lesser appeal.  However, if the "lesser" sourse is closer to home than the richer source, the bees may forsake the richer source.  What determines the decision is the net return back at the hive.  Hereafter, the untis are totally made up.  I am assigning a totally arbitrary value of 10 to the richer source, and a totally arbitrary value of 4 to the lesser source.  In this example, I am placing the richer source far enough from the hive that it takes a honey bee 4 of my made up arbitrary valued units to fly there, and 4 of my made up arbitrary valued units to fly back.  Net result of the rich floral source at the hive is 2 arbitrary units.  Now, the lesser source is close to homw.  It takes a half of my made up arbitrary valued units to fly there, and a half of my made up arbitrary valued units to fly back.  Net result of the lesser floral source at the hive is 3 arbitrary units.  The lesser source yields more at the hive than the richer source, hence the bees will forage the lesser source.

Aaron Morris - wondering how the bees know?

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