Sweet Alyssum Attracts the Honeybee

Photographer: Menashe Davidson 
Summary Author: Menashe Davidson

Sweet alyssums (Lobularia maritima) are popular ornamental flowers in our home garden. Their petite, white blossoms exude a sweet fragrance that's a magnet for bees. Honeybee visits to flowers are of course vital for pollination, an essential process for the reproduction of many flowering plants. As bees collect nectar and pollen for their hive, they transfer pollen grains between flowers, enabling fertilization and the production of fruits and seeds. This symbiotic relationship supports plant biodiversity and underpins global food security since honeybees play a crucial role in pollinating crops that sustain human and many animal diets. I had the pleasure of observing and documenting honeybee visits to our sweet alyssums on several mornings this past December. Click here to see a little video of these bees in action.

 

Rishon LeZion, Israel Coordinates: 31.95, 34.8

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