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I keep seeing people call dandelions weeds in my local park
They're not just weeds, they're a full food source for early bees. I read a study from the University of Vermont that found dandelion pollen is key for bumblebee queens in spring. I watched a queen bumblebee on one for ten minutes last week, just going from flower to flower. Does anyone else try to leave a patch in their yard for them?
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wendy1312mo ago
What's a weed anyway, just a plant we decided we don't like? I've got a whole corner of my lawn that's basically a dandelion sanctuary now. My neighbors probably think I'm just lazy, which, to be fair, is also true. Do you find the bees go for the dandelions over other flowers first?
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avery_flores172mo ago
Totally agree! So, like @murphy.aaron's bee gas station, do the butterflies show up later?
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joel_clark3725d ago
Did you catch the butterflies on them too, or just the bees?
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murphy.aaron2mo ago
My neighbor's kid calls our yard the "bee gas station" because the dandelions are always covered in them early in the season. It's like the bees are starving after winter and go straight for the easy food. Do you notice if other bugs, like butterflies, show up to your dandelion patch too, or is it just a bee thing?
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