How can i attract bees to my garden for pollination?
Flowers adapted for bee pollination are not red as bees see in the other end of the spectrum. They see well into the ultraviolet compared to us. So bees see from yellow on through blue and beyond. Many flowers photographed in the UV spectra have guides marking the best approach for a bee to follow. Typically then the flower is yellow with blue or ultraviolet guides.http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/course/ent591k/... http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/... The flowers may have a light, sweet scent for the bees to locate them by. The flower may even close at night to hold a bee longer or to conserve fragrance for day light when bees are active. Snapdragons are classic bee flowers. Bee balm even though it is red has the right shape. Bees have short tongues so like composite flowers like marigold & daisy. Bees visit larkspur, penstemon, butterfly weed, & aromatic herbs like thyme & flowering onion. Also inclide early plants like bluebells, grape hyacinth, and Anemone blanda. For later flowers grow asters, coneflowers, lavender, and at the end of the season, Caryopteris x clandonensis, called bluebeard or blue mist spirea ‘Blue Petite’. There needs to be flowering plants offering nectar all seasons. http://www.perennialnursery.com/plantinf... Berkley has a list of plant evaluated for their relative attraction for honeybees. http://nature.berkeley.edu/urbanbeegardens/list.html http://nature.berkeley.edu/urbanbeegardens/docs/FullPlantList.pdf http://nature.berkeley.edu/urbanbeegardens/gbt.html
How can I deter scout bees?
I've been noticing scout bees checking out our porch and AC unit. Is there a way to deter them so they possibly report these locations as non possibilities? When I saw one earlier I tried running my hand vac to make loud noise and he flew away, but I don't want them trying to build a hive out here. My daughter is allergic to bees and the wooden overhang seems like somewhere bees would love to love to set up camp.
How can I keep bees away from my raspberry bushes?
Even though you may be worried about getting stung, as others have said you don't want to get rid of them. I don't know where you're located but in some parts of the US there has been a shortage of bees becuase of some sort of infestation. The bees won't come after you. It's a good idea to pick early in the morning, or very late evening as there won't be as many to bother you. I have rasberry bushes as well and I almost always see bees whenever I'm picking, but have never been stung or bothered by tthe bees. Relax and enjoy the berries, that the bees helped pollinate.