Flowering creeping thyme is very attractive to bees, and pollen from blooming thyme often flavors the resulting honey. The tiny leaves are aromatic, as are the flowers, which have a balsamic or citrus scent similar to the leaves. Depending on the variety, flowers can be white, pink, or purple.
Which thyme is best for bees?
You can’t go wrong with ‘Common Thyme’ – Thymus vulgaris. Plant it in your garden border or rockery (or in pots) to provide pollen and nectar for a variety of bee species.
Do bees like the smell of thyme?
“Some of the more attractive herbs to bees are thyme, comfrey, borage, oregano, bee’s friend, lemon balm, rosemary, hyssop, sage, lavender and chives.”
What pollinates thyme?
Common thyme makes a great addition to a pollinator garden. The flowers are attractive to bees, butterflies, and other pollinating insects.
What herbs do bees like best?
These 10 common herbs are among some of the best plants in providing bees with valuable nectar and pollen throughout the year.
What do bees like to eat?
- Wild marjoram plant. This aromatic herb produces pinkish-white drifts of nectar-rich flowers.
- Mint.
- Fennel.
- Borage.
- Chives.
- Rosemary.
- Sage.
- Hyssop.
Does creeping thyme attract bees?
As with many species in the mint family, the flowers of Creeping Thyme attract honey bees and wild bees.
Does thyme repel bees?
Often used in cooking, thyme is also known for its ability to repel insects. Not only will this herb help to keep carpenter bees away, it will repel wasps too. Thyme can be planted straight in the ground or in a container.
What scent attracts bees the most?
A number of herbs, including basil, thyme, lavender, lemon balm, oregano, marjoram, rosemary, sage, are all of the mint (Lamiaceae) family. In fact, a gardener may choose to plant a scent garden subsisting entirely of herbs for the enjoyment of the gardener and the bees.
What smell do bees hate?
Bees also have a distaste for lavender oil, citronella oil, olive oil, vegetable oil, lemon, and lime. These are all topical defenses you can add to your skin to keep bees away. Unlike other flying insects, bees are not attracted to the scent of humans; they are just curious by nature.
What scent are bees most attracted to?
Sugars: Many bees feed on the nectar from flowers. Since nectar is sweet, it makes sense that bees would be attracted to sugars and fragrances that smell flowery or sweet. That’s why you may notice bees at your picnic, especially if you’re drinking sugary sodas or eating fruits, such as pineapple and watermelon.
Is creeping thyme invasive?
So, let’s cut the chase — is creeping thyme really invasive? The answer is no; though it will spread fast in a garden, it won’t bother the other plants. Therefore, if you are looking for an attractive ground cover that smells nice and is also deer and rabbit resistant, you should definitely consider creeping thyme!
Does creeping thyme attract butterflies?
Creeping thyme (Thymus pseudolanguinosus) makes a lush groundcover; its purple blossoms are beloved by butterflies. Don’t be put off by its tongue-twisting Latin name; most thymes are attractive to bees and generalist butterflies like skippers.
Do honey bees like rosemary?
A Bee Favorite!
Rosemary attracts a variety of bees including mason, bumble, mining, and honey bees. It is great for other pollinators, as well, like nectar-feeding flies and butterflies.
Does creeping thyme attract wasps?
But of special interest are the red and white creeping thymes. Though they don’t provide much joy to the cook, (low-growing thymes, they hug the ground making harvest difficult), the small but complex blooms of both attract the smaller beneficial insects like parasitic wasps while doing their fending off of others.
What are bees favorite plants?
1. Bee balm (Monarda spp.) This plant is called “bee balm” because it was once used to treat bee stings, but bees really are obsessed with the flowers. There are a variety of plants in the bee balm family that are native to North Carolina.
What herbs do not attract bees?
10 plants that repel bees and wasps
- Cucumber. This popular vegetable not only makes a great addition to summer salads, but also keeps bees and wasps away.
- Basil. Basil is another great choice for your garden that doubles as a kitchen resource and a pest repellent.
- Geraniums.
- Wormwood.
- Marigolds.
- Pitcher Plants.
What does creeping thyme repel?
mosquito
Thyme. Thyme, including red creeping thyme (shown), possesses excellent mosquito-repelling properties. The secret is to crush the leaves to release the volatile oils. You can simply place crushed stems around outdoor seating areas or rub the leaves on skin or clothing.
Is creeping thyme pollinator friendly?
Have no fear, Thymus praecox, aka creeping thyme, can handle a little foot traffic, releasing its sweet perfume in return, making it an excellent choice for planting in a walkway or between stepping stones! An exceptional, pollinator-friendly ground cover, T.
Will creeping thyme choke out other plants?
Creeping Thyme
Creeping Thyme spreads by sending runners underground that choke out other plants, including weeds. It has a maximum growth height of about four inches, which is considered the ideal height for lawns, and beautiful pink, purple or blue flowers.
What plant will keep bees away?
Plants that repel bees include geraniums, roses, dahlias, yews, and bougainvillea. These plants produce oils or essential oils that have an unpleasant odor to bees and are great at deterring bees away. Keeping bees away does not need to be a difficult task.
Does thyme repel wasps?
However, naturally-repellent plants do exist and include mint, wormwood, lemongrass, citronella, clove, pennyroyal, sage, rosemary, geranium, chamomile, thyme, fennel, wintergreen, and sweet marjoram. Cucumber peels may also repel wasps.