As the first signs of spring after a long winter, early bloomers are considered particularly insect-friendly. Daffodils are also early bloomers. But how bee-friendly are they really?
Are daffodils good for bees?
Are daffodils bee friendly? Daffodils provide bees with limited food because they have little nectar and pollen. Early bloomers such as crocus, snowdrops and cornelian cherries are more bee-friendly. The poet's daffodil is the most bee-friendly of the daffodil species, but is less attractive compared to other early bloomers.
Are daffodils good for bees?
Daffodils sometimes bloom in March and are therefore among the first plants of the year that can serve as animportant food source for bees and other insects. Nevertheless, daffodils are only of limited interest to bees. They offer only small amounts of nectar and pollen and most species have little scent. Bees show particularly little interest in double daffodil species, as their dense crown means they hardly provide access to nectar for insects. Other flowers, such as willow flowers, that bloom at the same time are more attractive to bees. However, as long as the remaining food supply is low, daffodils are an important source of food for bees.
Are there bee-friendly daffodils?
ThePoet Narcissus (Narcissus poeticus) is particularly bee-friendly. Compared to other daffodil species, it offers the bees a lot of nectar and pollen as food and its intense scent also attracts bees. However, the poet's daffodil only blooms late in spring, when there are numerous other flowers that bees prefer.
Which early bloomers are more bee-friendly than daffodils?
In addition to the already mentionedWillow, the following early bloomers are also popular with bees:
- crocus
- Snowdrops
- Cornelian cherry
- Märzenbecher
- Tulips
- Grape Hyacinth
- Winterling
Tip
Pollination of daffodils
Daffodils are particularly pollinated by moths. But bumblebees and bees are also pollinators. After successful pollination, small black seeds form in the ovaries, which fall from the flower and are then distributed around the area by ants.
