Scott wrote

> I believe it has a lot to do with the flowers not being very visible for 
> the
> bees since the flowers occur below the leaf canopy of the soy fields.

Here in Australia I believe it depends on the variety of soy bean.  Up until 
about 10 years ago, we had soy beans growing around us but there was never 
any noticeable extra nectar in the hives when it flowered.  Then about 10 
years ago I suddenly had a good shake that had to be soy bean honey.  I 
wondered why.  Talking with the farmer it turned out that he had changed 
variety and this was a new variety which the bees were collecting excess 
nectar from.  It stayed that way for a few years but nothing of late as soy 
bean have not been planted due to the drought.

I don't think it had anything to with the presentation of the flowers as the 
plants looked the same with the flowers within the leaves.  Maybe soy bean 
is a bit like lucerne (sorry alfalfa for those in the USA) were the variety 
makes a big difference to the amount of nectar secreted.

Trevor Weatherhead
AUSTRALIA 

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