Did You Know Bees Love Blue and Violet?

–from Mo Sloane, San Juan County Master Gardener —

Did you know that native bees and honey bees love blue and violet flowers?

Why? Plants may have evolved blue and violet flowers to be attractive to their most efficient pollinators. A bee’s eye perceives blue, violet, and ultraviolet light best. They have no photoreceptors for red and orange, as hummingbirds do. Blue and violet flowers are often nectar-rich, providing a sugary energy source very important to bees.

To attract bees to your garden, include plants with blue or violet flowers that bloom in sequence throughout the bee’s foraging season, from early spring to late fall. Bees also use fragrance to locate flowers, as their visual acuity is quite low – they see clearly only within two feet – so use scent to your advantage (and theirs!). Simple white flowers like daisies and Queen Anne’s Lace are also very attractive to bees. They often have patterned ‘landing strips’ that highlight the nectar location. The bee’s ultraviolet receptors see amazing flower patterns we cannot. Once they’ve found your garden, bees will forage on flowers of all colors – but blue and violet flowers will help bring them in!

Be sure to visit the Master Gardeners booth at the San Juan County Fair. There will be a microscope to see our pollinators up close, a game with prizes, and examples of plants bees love, including borage and pincushion flower (Scabiosa). And be sure to pick up our brochure of plants for pollinators, including natives that will be included in our spring Native Plant Sale.

Master Gardeners are available throughout the year on San Juan, Orcas and Lopez islands to answer your gardening questions. Whether you have questions about your soil, have a problem with your fruit trees, or are thinking about starting a garden, volunteers will be happy to provide you with science-based information to help you succeed. Visit our website for more information: https://extension.wsu.edu/sanjuan/master-gardeners/