Crape myrtle

[FredBorn]

I live in Florida and everyone has crape mrytle which bloom profusely for a fairly long period.

However I have never seen bees work the blossoms with the exception of the white flowered ones.

Today the white flowered ones are humming with bees. The pink ones right next to it are devoid of bees.

Anyone know why?

[TwT]

I dont know why, but I have seen the same thing, white one have bee's and red, pink and purple dont....

[beemaster]

Fred:

I can't help you, but I have a some what puzzling plant issue too... I have Shasta Daisies, brilliant white with yellow centers and the bees will NOT go near them, ever. They are GREAT attractors though of flies, who can't seem to get enough of the pollen. This has puzzled me because the amount of pollen on these flowers is huge relitive to the flowers size and surely (from a human prospective) they are BEGGING for bees and visa-versa.

Hope you find your answer!!!

[Kathyp]

i have observed the same with the shasta daisies.  no only do the bees not go to them, but they clog up my horse pastures and no matter what i do, i can not get rid of them.  

i have been wandering my property to see what is growing that the bees like and what i can continue to kill as part of my pasture management.  those daises have got to go!  :!:

[Brian D. Bray]

My old mentor used to explain the matter this way.  Bees prefer certain colors of others and as long as a flow is strong they will go to flowers that are colors of those preferences; white and yellow not only being the most highly preferred but the most common in nature.
however, if a honey flow should wane or dearth or drought remove an anticipated one the bees are more likely to begin working flowers of the less preferred colors.  Dark Blue, Purple, and Red seemed to be their least favorite colors according to him.