What is nectar?
Nectar is a sweet liquid which contains glucose and fructose sugars produced by flowers. Flowers use this liquid to attract pollinators like honey bees and bumblebees in order for them to pollinate their flowers. Bees convert the sweet nectar from flowers into honey which is then fed to their larvae.
What is pollen?
Pollen is a fine to coarse powdery substance comprising pollen grains which are the male part of the flower. If pollen lands on a compatible pistil or female cone, it germinates, and the flower will eventually produce seeds. Pollen is rich in protein. Bees visiting flowers collecting pollen and nectar inadvertently transport pollen grains from flower to flower pollinating flowers.
Why do bees only visit some types of flowers and not others?
Bees visit flowers to gather nectar and pollen, nectar is a sugary liquid (carbohydrate) that is converted by the bees into honey and this is fed to their larvae. The pollen (protein) is mixed with honey to make ‘bee bread’ and this is fed to young bees. Some flowers, for example Begonia, Pelargonium, and Petunia, have been hybridised and developed to produce large showy flowers and unfortunately do not produce either pollen or nectar. Therefore the busy bees don’t waste their time in visiting flowers that don't contain pollen or nectar.
Why is my honey crystallising?
Some honey will crystallise over time and exhibit changes in colour and appearance. This is just a change in appearance caused by the sugars in the honey.
If your honey starts to granulate or crystallise, in fact this change is the best proof of its quality, it can easily be restored to its liquid state.
1 Loosen the lid and stand the jar in hot water, heat very gently until the honey becomes liquid or,
2 Remove the lid and place in a microwave oven on the lowest power.
Remember, the honey in the centre of the jar will continue to become liquid after the heating time has finished.
Do not heat the jar above 400C or you will destroy the beneficial enzymes that make this local honey special.
What is the difference between clear and set honey?
The nectar the bees collect from flowers to make honey contain many types of sugars. The higher the fructose content, the longer the honey will stay clear. Some honeys contain more glucose than fructose and are therefore very likely to crystalise or set. There is no differnence in the taste or nutritional value.
Why is there a large group of bees in my garden?
This could be a swarm of honey bees, please go to the British Beekeepers Association website, https://www.bbka.org.uk/swarm for help in identifying if they are Honey Bees. After looking at this site and you think they are Honey Bees, then please contact me 07738 260813 and I may be able to come and remove the honey bees. Sorry but I’m unable to remove Wasps or Bumblebees only honey bees.