May Plants for Honey Bees

With all its blossoms to visit, May is a wonderful month for honey bees.  This bounty of food usually triggers them to swarm as a natural way to reproduce and to take advantage of the plentiful nectar and pollen.  

Here are some plants the honey bees will be visiting this month.

Alpine Clematis - Pollen

Altaclara Holly - Nectar

Bearberry Cotoneaster - Nectar and Pollen

Bloody Cranesbill - Nectar and Pollen

Buckthorn - Nectar

Bunchberry Dogwood - Nectar and Pollen

Burkwood Daphne - Nectar and Pollen

Carpet Grass - Nectar

Canada Thistle - Nectar 

Coffeeberry - Nectar

Common Lilac - Nectar and Pollen

David Viburmum - Nectar and Pollen

Doublefile Viburmum - Nectar and Pollen

English Hawthorn - Nectar, Pollen and Honeydew

European Cranberrybush Viburmum - Nectar and Pollen

Flowering Dogwood - Nectar and Pollen 

Globe Candytuft - Nectar and pollen

Golden Deadnettle - Nectar and Pollen

Grecian Rose - Nectar and Pollen

Hairy Cat’s Ears - Nectar

Kashmir Mountain Ash - Nectar and Pollen

Kew Broom - Nectar and Pollen

Leatherleaf Viburmum - Nectar and Pollen

Littleleaf Cotoneaster - Nectar and Pollen

Oneseed Hawthorn - Nectar, Pollen and Honeydew

Paperbark Maple - Nectar and Pollen

Prostrate Speedwell - Nectar and Pollen 

Red Osier Dogwood - Nectar and Pollen

Red Twig Dogwood - Nectar and Pollen

Rockspray Cotoneaster - Nectar and Pollen

Silver Speedwell - Nectar and Pollen

Snakebark Japanese Maple - Nectar and Pollen

Sun Rose - Nectar and Pollen

Sycamore Maple - Nectar, Pollen and Honeydew

Tatarian Honeysuckle - Nectar and Pollen

Whitebeam Mountain Ash - Nectar and Pollen

Wintergreen Cotoneaster - Nectar and Pollen

Beekeepers will be kept busy trying to prevent or catch the swarms.  They will also be planning ahead for the summer months and deciding whether or not they can pull more honey off the hives.  If drought is common during summer, then beekeepers will need to leave honey on the hive to feed the bees during the drought period.  

More May plants can be found here.

Bloom images in order of appearance are by courtesy of chelle, wildflowers, and Paul2032.