Honey bee forage: pussy willow

A male pussy willow is among the many best bushes for the bee yard because of it will bloom notably early throughout the 12 months. Beekeepers often plant them close to the apiary to help the bees through the pollen-scarce months of March and April when little else is in flower.

The time interval “pussy willow” refers to quite a lot of species of willows that get furry gray catkins. Inside the states, the time interval typically refers to Salix discolor, a neighborhood to North America. In northern Europe it often refers to Salix caprea, although there are quite a lot of others as correctly.

The catkins appear very early throughout the 12 months sooner than the leaves. The furry stage is unquestionably the bud stage of the flower. Later, the fur disappears and is modified by each male or female flowers, counting on which sort of plant you’ve got gotten. Pussy willows are dioecious, which implies there are every feminine and male bushes. Although solely the male flowers produce pollen, every sexes produce nectar.

Pussy willows are hardy in USDA zones 4-8. In warmth winters, the buds might appear as early as late February or early March. In accordance with quite a lot of sources, the nectar will likely be plentiful, nonetheless it’d occur too early for honey bees to fly. Nonetheless, many native bees—along with mason, andrena, and bumble bees—are typically seen happily sipping up the nectar.

The medium yellow pollen from the male bushes is taken into consideration to be of widespread top quality by means of its dietary contribution to honey bees, having a crude protein content material materials between 20-25%. Nonetheless, it is undoubtedly increased than nothing. Whether or not it’s warmth adequate to fly, your honey bees will revenue from this early and plentiful provide of vitamin.

Rusty

Pussy willow in bud stage. Flickr {photograph} by Phil Sellens.

Pussy willow in flowering stage. Flickr {photograph} by Smudge 9000.