Alfalfa

[ooptec]

Does anyone know if honey bees will forage successfully on alfalfa? Around here leaf cutter bees are used for pollination for the alfalfa seed producers.

Is it a good nectar source?

I have carnies

cheers

peter

[Michael Bush]

>Does anyone know if honey bees will forage successfully on alfalfa?

They do much better if there are leaf cutter bees around since the leaf cutters trigger the flowers which when they spring open will hit the bees in the face, but not the leaf cutters.  After the leaf cutters spring them open the bees are much more willing to forage on it.  The best way to get seed is to have both honey bees and leaf cutter bees on the alfalfa.

[Brian D. Bray]

In Eastern Washington Alfalfa is a major crop cut and harvest at least 3 times a year.  The bales sell for $12-$15 each.  My brother lives in Eastern Washington and Alfalfa is one of his main honey sources.  The honey is dark brown, almost black in color.  It looks more like molasses than honey.