Do bees smell for the nectar firstly?

[Cindi]

Yesterday I was watching the bees that are visiting a Viburnum shrub that I had bought about a month ago, it is still blooming and setting new buds.  I haven't planted it in the ground yet because I don't want to stress the shrub out, the nectar may temporarily stop and by the amount of bees (and other beneficials) visiting these flowers, that would be a bad thing.  I never realized before how early Viburnum began to bloom (unless this shrub has been forced into early bloom by the nursery, but I don't think so).  My intention is to take cuttings and propogate them this year for more shrubs for next year, it is a powerful provider of nectar and white pollen for the bees.

I noticed a bee when I was taking some pictures of the bees visiting the flowers.  A bee prior to sticking out her tongue, had put her antennae forward to the flower.  Bees "smell" with the antennae.  I got an impression she was smelling the blossom to see if there was nectar within, I would love to hear comments on this, as this is something that I had not noticed before.  Have a beautiful and wonderful day in this great life we share.  Cindi



This is a honeybee and a species of bee that I don't know the name of:

[Brian D. Bray]

Yesterday I was watching the bees that are visiting a Viburnum shrub that I had bought about a month ago, it is still blooming and setting new buds.  I haven't planted it in the ground yet because I don't want to stress the shrub out, the nectar may temporarily stop and by the amount of bees (and other beneficials) visiting these flowers, that would be a bad thing.  I never realized before how early Viburnum began to bloom (unless this shrub has been forced into early bloom by the nursery, but I don't think so).  My intention is to take cuttings and propogate them this year for more shrubs for next year, it is a powerful provider of nectar and white pollen for the bees.

I noticed a bee when I was taking some pictures of the bees visiting the flowers.  A bee prior to sticking out her tongue, had put her antennae forward to the flower.  Bees "smell" with the antennae.  I got an impression she was smelling the blossom to see if there was nectar within, I would love to hear comments on this, as this is something that I had not noticed before.  Have a beautiful and wonderful day in this great life we share.  Cindi



There's an old vaudville act that my older Brother and I used to perform back when we were in High School.  The song in the act was "You Can't Fool and Old Horse Fly!" and that was what I thought of when I spied the lower bug in your picture.  You can tell its a bug from the way the compound eyes set in the head verses bees, wasps, or hornets.  Horse Flies are often mistaken for honey  bees.  When you hear somebody tell you bees chased their horses or other livestock they were talking about Horse Flies.

This is a honeybee and a species of bee that I don't know the name of:

[Cindi]

Brian, cool that vaudville act you and your Brother performed.  So you think that is a horsefly below the honeybee?  It might be, iit did look like it was about the size of one.  I have never been bit by a horsefly, but let me tell you, I have been chased many a time by one while riding my old mare.  Those horse flies can run as fast as a horse can gallop, I know that one first hand.  No wonderful the horses can't stand these nasties, they could never outrun a horsefly, and I've seen the reaction when a horse has been bit by one, it really looks like it hurts.  Have a beautiful, awesome day, many more to come.  Cindi

[Michael Bush]

Bees have many very developed senses.  Smell is one of them.  So is sight, and sense of direction.  I'm sure the odor that flowers give off is done on purpose to attract the bees as are the colors of the flowers.  I'm sure it's not all one or the other.

[JB]

Great pictures their Cindi! I am not an expert but I can tell you they have no problem finding the honey I put out for them each day!