Keith Forsyth wrote:

<She also
notes on p.58 that although bees are highly attracted to poppy pollen, it
may have a narcotic effect on the bees, with opium poppy being the cause of
serious mortality of foraging bees.>
and
<None of the references indicate any "commercial value", unless one
considers
poor protein content or mortality of foraging bees.>

Re: my earlier post in regards to poppy pollen. Our experience is anecdotal
only but we have not observed any evidence of the above in regards to bees
working our poppy blooms.  Perhaps the operative word in the above quote is
"may"?  To the contrary, we have found poppies to be valuable pollen
producers due, if for no other reason, to the fact that they are highly
productive during parts of the season when very little else is in bloom.

As to "commercial" value" I suppose "commercial" can mean different things
to different folks.  Though we do not collect pollen, we do raise poppy
seeds for commercial purposes and the reason we have bees is for poppy, as
well as other, pollination .  We closely observe both the poppy seed
production and the health of our bees and IMHO, for whatever it may be
worth, it is not necessary to sacrifice one in order to promote the other.

Skip


Skip & Christy Hensler
THE ROCK GARDEN
Newport, Wash.
http://wwwppovn.com/rock