23
NEW ZEALAND BEEKEEPER, MARCH 2017
Days 5 to 7: Nectar pools into larger masses During the final stages in the life of a mānuka flower, if the nectar is not removed by bees, it will start to pool into larger masses on the nectary. In an old flower or in hot, dry weather, these pools will start to dry up from evaporation and can look like sticky sheets of viscous nectar. Weather patterns are one of the main drivers for the nectar flow. Since this is an open dish flower, the nectar can be diluted by rain or evaporated by sun over the life of the flower. Evaporation concentrates the sugar and other contents of the nectar.
Photo by Abie Borker ©Trees for Bees NZ.
Days 7 to 16: Flower hangs onto the petals Sometime after day 7 but not much longer, the flower’s reproductive activity is finished. The flower does not produce any more nectar and all the anthers have opened fully and start to turn brown and shrivelled. If the native bees or flies have been actively harvesting or the wind has shaken the flower, the anthers will be empty of pollen. The stigma turns dark brown, while the nectary turns to a deeper, brownish-red colour. Mānuka flowers are unusual because the petals stay fresh and hang on for another week or more. We have found that petals and sepals stay on the flower for up to 16 days. This means that any branch will be a mixture of young productive flowers and old finished flowers.
Photo by Valentine Tournon ©Trees for Bees NZ.
References Grainger, M. (2016, December). Testing nectar to select mānuka trees for high-grade honey. The New Zealand BeeKeeper, 24 (11), 12–15. Petersen, S., & Bryant, V. (2011). The study of pollen and its role in the honey market. American Bee Journal, 151 (6), 591–594. Acknowledgements We thank the Ministry for Primary Industries for its Sustainable Farming Fund grant from 2016 to 2019, and our research students and associates for their assistance in the field: Dr Robert McKenzie (in Nelson, 2007); Jean-Noel Galliot, Valentine Tournon, Jules Boileau (in Rangitukia, East Cape, 2013); Rapata Kaa and Maia Taare from Naati Beez and Ruth Schuit from Ingleby NZ LP (in Rangitukia, East Cape, 2016).
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs