Lungwort, a rough-leaved plant, is widespread in Europe. With its pink and purple flowers, it attracts attention - and also bees? We will answer this question for you below.
Is lungwort a food source for bees?
Lungwort serves as an important source of food for bees, especially early-flying wild bees and bumblebees. The plant offers you nectar and pollen through its pink and purple flowers from mid-March to May.
Does lungwort serve as a food source for bees?
Lungwort serves as a food source for bees. Pulmonaria officinalisoffers insects nectar and pollen It is primarily the early-flying wild bees that benefit from the common or spotted lungwort. This is due to the plant's early flowering period from mid-March to May.
The nectar-rich flowers provide insects with sufficient energy in spring. They use pollen to feed their brood. This
- collect the wild bees,
- then store it in their transport facilities on the hind legs and
- finally fly him to the nest.
Which bees fly to lungwort?
Lungwort is particularly visited byearly flying bees. If you have the medicinal plant in your green oasis, you can certainly observe one or twoBumblebee on it. The latter is one of the long-pronged wild bees and is therefore easy to access the nectar in the specially shaped flowers.
In addition, Osmia pilicornis, a species of mason bee that is rarely found in this country, specializes in lungwort, which is why it is also calledLungwort mason bee. It primarily uses the plant's pollen. This also applies to theSpring Fur Bee, which also likes lungwort.
How do bees react to the flower colors of lungwort?
Bees prefer thepink flowers of lungwort to the violet-blue ones. The reason for this is that the former promise them more nectar and pollen. The insects perceive the flower colors differently than we humans because they do not see red and violet light. But they have their own way of recognizing when the flowers of the perennial are particularly rich in nutrients.
Tip
The flower color of the lungwort changes
The flowers of lungwort are initially bright pink and turn violet-blue after about four days, about half of their lifespan. This is because the pH of the flower cell sap changes from acidic to alkaline.
