Scientists from Toronto have published a bee study that evaluates the nutritional composition of different plants – here are four common flowers that are particularly useful for bees. IMAGE: Webenwickler | Pixabay
Industrial agriculture, more and more cities, global warming … Many insect species are threatened with extinction. This includes important pollinators such as various butterfly and bee species.
The Canadian scientists of the study on bees published in 2024 examined a total of 22 types of pollen and tried to draw conclusions as to which of them provide the best nutrients for bees.
The most important finding of the study is probably that a wide range of nutrients makes all the difference! Even if some pollens were rated as “better” than others (e.g. those with a ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 below one), bees need different pollens. Another argument for preserving biodiversity.
Study: These 4 flowers are good for bees
Common lilac (Syringa vulgaris): The lilac bush grows not only in North America, where the scientists studied the pollen, but also in Europe and Asia. Its pink flowers exude a pleasant odor. The study showed that bees find a particularly high content of ten essential amino acids (EAA) in lilac pollen, which is why this plant is classified as particularly bee-friendly.
Roses (Rosa sp.), clover (Trifolium sp.) and American red raspberry (Rubus idaeus) are also specifically highlighted in the study, as the pollen here has a particularly favorable nutrient ratio of proteins to lipids (P) for honey bees and bumblebees.
👉 You can also eat clover yourself, as we show you in this article on 11 ideas for what you can do with red clover.
With a flowering garden, you can perfectly combine aesthetics and ecological benefits.
Read also:
These are the top 12 nectar plants according to butterfly expert
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