Honeybee Facts: Learn About a Busy, Buzzing Beneficial Insect

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Illustration By Keith Ward
If you notice honeybees feeding heavily on a certain plant, give this plant space near the center of your garden in a permanent beneficial bed.

This article is part of ourOrganic Pest Control Series, which includes articles on attracting beneficial insects, controlling specific garden pests, and using organic pesticides.  

Honeybees (Aphis melliferae

Familiar furry, yellowish half-inch-long honeybees are always a welcome sight in the garden, because honeybees improve pollination of over 400 crops. Tree fruits, berries and cucumber family crops in particular benefit from visits from honeybees. When managed in hives, honeybees also provide delicious honey. Honeybees rarely sting except by accident or in defense of a beehive, because use of its stinger is lethal to a honeybee.

What Do Honeybees Eat?

The highly structured lives of honeybees are reflected in their diet. Inside the hive, young honeybees are fed a protein-rich diet based on pollen. Early-blooming fruits, clovers, crucifers, poppies and other flowers are important pollen producers during this time.

  • Published on Jan 21, 2013
Tagged with: Barbara Pleasant, bees
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