New Study Finds Cannabis Pollen Supports 16 Varieties of Bees

Good news for you apiary and cannabis enthusiasts. Turns out bees are just as interested in cannabis as you are. A recent study found that tall hemp plants attract large numbers of bees. Spearheaded by Cornell University researchers, the findings reinforce a study conducted last year concerning bees interest in cannabis. 

Hemp Pollen Attracts Bees

Like other plants of interest, bees are attracted to the copious amounts of pollen cannabis produces. These new findings reinforced by continual studies can help scientists in improving the struggling bee population.

 According to the study, the greater the area covered by the hemp plant the greater the chance bees will swarm to that area. Hemp plants that are taller have a greater likelihood of attracting a whopping 17 times more than shorter plants. 

Bees Prefer Male Hemp

Astoundingly, cannabis hemp can support 16 varieties of bees in the northeastern United States. These will seem strange to cannabis enthusiasts. While die-hard connoisseurs love the potent cannabis scent, cannabis does not produce the sweet, sugary nectar associated with your typical flower. 

Furthermore, hemp does not come in various colors that attract bugs. Reasons why the 16 bee species are attracted to cannabis still remain unknown. But, researchers do know that it is male plants bees are attracted to, rather than the female plants smoked or ingested by cannabis users.  Bees are essential to the plant mating process delivery male sex cells to female plants. 

Affect on Bees

This does not mean that bees plus hemp will create a cannabinoid-rich pollen sneaking into your diets. Nor will bees be producing THC-rich honey all on their own. But one can hope! Thanks to the lack of cannabinoid receptors in bees, THC will have no effect on their physiological development. 

While our focus as humans is the legalization of medicinal and recreational cannabis, the impact of this research can show that cannabis can help nature and agriculture in larger ways.

Contributed by Richard Sanchez