Do Bees Like Night Blooming Jasmine?

Bees are mainly active during the daytime.

Bees are mainly active during the daytime.

Plants that bloom in the daytime may attract pollinators, including bees, but you may not want these insects near your home for fear of accidental stings. As a solution, night blooming jasmine (Cestrum nocturnum) provides your garden with intoxicating scents, but without attracting many bees. Growing in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 through 11, this nightshade family shrub attracts other pollinators, like moths, on warm nights.

Blooming Period

Known for its strong scent, night blooming jasmine does not have extraordinarily large blossoms. Each flower forms a small, white tube, contrasting brightly against the plant's deep green foliage. Although it prefers full sun, the blossoms do not open until the evening -- bees are usually out only during daylight hours, making them less common as a night blooming jasmine pollinator. Because it blooms at night, this plant uses scent, instead of a visual display, to attract pollinators.

Moth Pollinators

Moths usually pollinate night blooming jasmine. Using the white flowers as reflectors on a moonlit night, moths are attracted to the plant's scent and descend on the blossoms. These specialized hovering insects insert their proboscis, or tongue, into the tubular flower for nectar. As moths move between flowers, they pollinate the blossoms through pollen grains stuck to their bodies. Most moth species are active at dusk and in the evening.

Bee Activity Habits

Because most flowers bloom during the day, most bees rely on color recognition to find nectar sources. By visiting many different flower types, bees increase their survival chances with many food sources. Night blooming jasmine is not a main food source for most bee species because they rest once the sun sets and their vision wouldn't help them much in the dark.

Nocturnal Bees

Some bee species, referred to as crepuscular or matinal types, take advantage of the reduced bee populations at dusk. These bees have developed better nighttime vision so they can pick out specific environmental markers in dimly lit areas. Aided by the night blooming jasmine's scent, nocturnal bees may visit your plant for nectar. Because fewer bees are out at dusk and at night, nocturnal species can avoid competition and collect more nectar.

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