Ldentify Flora For Honey Production

A variety of flowering species is suitablefor honey production;eucalypts provide70 to 80 per cent of the national honeyharvest.Weeds provide about 20 per centof the honey harvest and agricultural andhorticultural crops are of minor importance.In Australia, bees are of major benefit aspollinators of agricultural and horticulturalcrops.

Although eucalypts provide most blossoms

for honey production, the flowering frequencydepends on rainfall which is difficult to

predict. Fresh foliage might be followed bybuds but then there can be a time lapsebetween budding and flowering and thisvaries between species and can be two to24 months.This time lapse will depend on

species, the health of the flora, salinity of thesoil and maturity of the trees; young trees put

more energy into growth than into flowering.

Flowering frequency will be influenced byrainfall events.

Pollen from different floral species varies in itsnutritional value for bees.In enterprises with

a commercial focus the beekeeper must be

aware of the available nutrients, both nectarand pollen. The same species of flowering

plant can be rich in nutrients in one area andless so in another; location of the plant has

an influence on the nutrient value. Observewhich flowers the bees use because theypreferably select flowers with a high sugarconcentration.

The following characteristics help you toidentify plant species:

- flower,shape, arrangement and colour

- flowering season

- bark of trees

- trunks of trees

- nuts or fruits

- bud shape and arrangement

- leaf shape and size

- natural habitat.

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