# Bees and Flax



## George Fergusson (May 19, 2005)

Jesse said:


> Does anyone know if honey bees work flax?
> 
> My family is getting into organic farming and it is one of the crops we are going to try. I was wondering if it was worth moving the girls closer to the prospective field.
> 
> ...


http://www.beeculture.com/content/pollination_handbook/flax.html



> Flax provides a small amount of both pollen and nectar for honey bees, the degree of visitation and the material collected apparently depending upon the area and competing floral sources. For example, Scullen and Vansell (1942) considered flax a weak source of both pollen and nectar. Alex (1967) concluded that the bee collected only pollen, and Smirnov (1956) said they collected chiefly nectar. Pellett (1947*) stated the numerous bees are found on flax only where there are large number of colonies in the vicinity.


So I assume if there's something better in the area, the bees will likely choose it over flax, but that's pretty much par for the course with bees.


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## Radar (Sep 4, 2006)

If flax is the same crop we call Linseed I would not go to the trouble of moving bees to it. I had a field of this sown within 50 yds of my bees and I never saw a bee on it. I walked in this field many times and I only saw the occasional bumble bee and even they did not seem all that happy about it, for when they landed on a flower all the petals fell off. The flowers appear to last only 1 day and all fall off in the evening causing the field to change from blue to green every evening. 
I would be pleased to hear from anyone who has had the opposite experience.


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## George Fergusson (May 19, 2005)

Radar said:


> If flax is the same crop we call Linseed I would not go to the trouble of moving bees to it.


It's the same thing. I suppose it depends on what Jesse is planning on doing with the flax. If for seed then probably pollination is a good thing. If for fiber, then perhaps pollination isn't so important.

The flowers do close up and fall off by noon on a sunny day but last most of the day on cloudy days. It'll bloom for a few weeks, putting out new blooms every day.


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## Jesse (May 15, 2006)

I think the variety we are going to plant is for seed, supposedly it has light blue flowers.

We mainly grow winter wheat that is malted for beer - we are looking at the flax as a rotation crop.

Thanks for the info George

Jesse


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