> Many of our most important bee plants are so called invasives.
>In my area I would hate to see the following rooted up and eradicated...
Buckthorn, Tartarian Honeysuckle and Purple Loosestrife.
All invasives and All important honey plants.
When I began beekeeping, neither were abundant. My bees suffered a
dearth of nectar between the Dandelion/Fruit bloom and the Clover
flow. I'd regularly see colonies near or at starvation in Late May or
early June. Honeysuckle took over that time frame and now I never see
the light colonies that I used to.
Same with Loosestrife. Used to be a dearth between the Main flow and
the Fall flow. No more. Purple Loosestrife has filled in that space, too.
In some areas of Chem-lawn USA, the only things out there for the
bees are invasives. Ask Massachusetts beekeepers. Where would you be
without Buckthorn, Honeysuckle, and Loosestrife?
Mike
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