Forage (honey bee)

For bees, their forage or food supply consists of nectar and pollen from blooming plants within their flight range.

In order to determine where to locate hives for maximum honey production and brood one must consider the off-season.

Pollen provides the protein and trace minerals that are mostly fed to the brood in order to replace bees lost in the normal course of their life cycle and colony activity.

There are small differences in the races of the Western honey bees at what temperature they will start foraging.

In addition to nectar and pollen, honey bees may forage for a honeydew source in certain coniferous trees and on oaks.