Why I don't find any Pollinators on the Flowers that are Singly Dotted Here and There?

pinkskyinthecity

I've always noticed this in the past when I see bees not being attracted to my flowers that are supposed to be pollinator plants ie. muscari, cercis, primrose (common), anthyllis, mina lobata, polenonium purple haze etc. I have a few of everything in annuals and as well as perennials. Do you think the single ones are being missed as they aren't grown en masse if they cannot detect the scent/colour? 

SueAtoo

I'm sure a beekeeper will help but I seem to remember that they prefer to visit one type at a time.

Dovefromabove

Probably for the same reason that you find more people at one time in a supermarket than
in a corner shop 😊 🐝 

B3

Mine are working the pulmonaria at the moment and not taking much notice of anything else.

Grannybee

So are mine (on the pulmonaria that is) and also winter honeysuckle,  which is still in flower. Some of those plant are for the longer tongued bees. They probably do go on them, you just may not have seen them!

Obelixx

When Geoff Hamilton made his ornamental Kitchen Garden series he pointed out that whole fields or allotments full of one plant such as caulis or cabbages were a magnet for every cabbage white in the area - hence all the spraying.  He then went on to show that hiding veggie sin flower beds confused the pests who couldn't find them in all the other colours and smells.

Plant your pollinators in groups of a kind so the insects you want can find them more easily and, in the case of bees, tell their mates.

Ceres

Obelixx said:

When Geoff Hamilton made his ornamental Kitchen Garden series he pointed out that whole fields or allotments full of one plant such as caulis or cabbages were a magnet for every cabbage white in the area - hence all the spraying.  He then went on to show that hiding veggie sin flower beds confused the pests who couldn't find them in all the other colours and smells.

Plant your pollinators in groups of a kind so the insects you want can find them more easily and, in the case of bees, tell their mates.

We should all heed this advice.

pinkskyinthecity

Sorry for the long delay. Thanks for all your replies everyone. It's so true that bees tell their mates; I like that thought!

The reason why I don't plant en masse is because I have a very small garden and every space I have I fill with as many pots I can fit in. As an avid gardener, I would try to grow as many plants that I love and the ones in the flower bed tend to be established perennials which tend to attract the pollinators and in amongst the pots, I have a lot of perennials mixed with annuals. Sometimes, the two don't mix due to differing conditions that they thrive in. Though, I have learned certain plants always guarantee lots of pollinator activity ie. comfrey, linaria, borage, salvia etc.