TREES BEES USE
Trees Bees Use Antigonon leptopus - Coral Creeper S Sadakathulla, R Rajendran, R Mohan and S M Jalaluddin, India
Apicultural value: Antigonon leptopus is a good source of both pollen and nectar for bees. Names: Coralita, Confederate vine Family: Polygonaceae
Description: Not a tree, but a climbing plant, indigenous to South America, but now found throughout the tropics.
Flowers: White, pink and red flowers in copious racemes which terminate with tendrils in all the terminal shoots of the branches of the creeper. Flowering: early summer to late autumn and throughout the year in some areas. In each florescence a mean of 41.6% of open flowers are seen at any time.
Uses: Coral creeper is used in hedges and fences, and for bowers and thatch to cover the roofs of sheds and houses. The attractive white and pink flowers are widely used in flower displays. Notes: In Tamil Nadu, India, the major visitor to Antigonon leptopus is the Asian hive bee Apis cerana (78%), with the little bee Apis florea and the dammer (stingless) bee, Melipona iridipennis at 10% and 3% respectively. Also, a few Diptera (flies) can be found early in the morning between 0730-0830 hours. © S Sadakathulla
(left) Antigonon leptopus
What plants do your bees use? Why not send in the information? Address on page 2
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trees bees use
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