A Colour Guide to Pollen Loads of the Honey Bee (2nd edition) by William Kirk

[BKF Admin]

Has anyone seen or own a copy of the above title ? is it any good ?

 

[jon]

I have it. It shows the pollen colour and the average date the tree or plant is in bloom.
Definitely worth it for a couple of quid. The trouble with pollen is it can look a different colour depending upon the light. You can collect pellets which fall through the varroa floor and check them at home should you be so inclined.

 

[BKF Admin]

Thanks for that Jon,I did read about the book being used in natural daylight as thats how they did the colour gradients to the pollen.

I have seen it for ?16 but will keep an eye out to see if I can get it cheaper.

 

[MJBee]

Hi Admin,
Got my copy from Northern Bee Books, cannot remember how much I paid for it but I'm sure it wasn't as much as ?16. It's very useful though.
Regards Mike

 

[Finman]

.
It is easy to look from flowers what kind of pollen bees gather.
Hive is not a good place to learn them.

 

[Bcrazy]

What!!!!!

Hive is not a good place to learn them.

If the beekeeper can not see his bees collecting pollen because they are miles away foraging, then how is the beekeeper going to determine what his bees are foraging on?

Regards;

 

[Poly Hive]

The problem here is two fold.

I had a very expensive pollen book some years ago and goodness knows where it is now. However it was effectively not much use at all.

One. In the printing process chemicals react with paper differently. Re you buy a pot of paint on the basis of the colour chart then have to live with the different colour on your wall. It's a guide only.

Two. As said so very rightly already pollen loads look in different lights tones differently to how they looked ten minutes ago.

It's but a guide.

PH

 

[Bcrazy]

Just to reiterate what has already been mentioned regarding the colour of pollen grains.

The pollen grains from the anther of the flower will be a specific colour because its normally in a dry condition, there are exceptions. Once the bee collects the pollen grains she will add a secretion to ensure the pollen grains stick together whilst on the pollen basket. This secretion will and does darken the pollen so by the time she returns to unload the pollen it has changed colour, but only very slightly.
The only true identification of pollen grains is through microscopy.

Regards;

 

[Jenxy]

Admin, see the thread about book store... they have that book for £12.50

 

[jon]

I bought it at Northern bee Books and I see it is indeed 16 quid but I am sure I paid much less. They must have put the price up.

http://www.beedata.com/beebooks.htm

 

[Bcrazy]

I have a copy of the book in question, first edition.

I must admit I do not refer to this book to establish the colour or possible flora where the pollen grains come from. Believe it or not but I refer to the 'Pocket Pollen Colour Guide' if I want to know the possible source of pollen.

I do think that Kirk is well known for his research into pollen and the colouration differencies that occur, but as I said I don't use the book that often. What I do like about the book is he has included some of Dorathy Hodges work which is one of the first colour coding for pollen grains.

Regards;

 

[BKF Admin]

Thanks Bcrazy,very informative post,I do have the pocket guide,I must go dig it out my bee book box.

 

[MarkyMark]

I refer to the 'Pocket Pollen Colour Guide' if I want to know the possible source of pollen.

Have i found the right book ??? It says it's just £1.50 including P&P !!! is that right ??? seems a tad cheap for a book ! (not that im complaining if it is!)

http://www.beedata.com/nbb/pollen_colour_guide.htm

 

[hedgerow pete]

markymark when they describe it as a book, it should say booklet, its around five pages and its small 100mm by 150mm, but great fun to work out what the girls are harvesting

 

[MarkyMark]

Thanks pete, ive been picking up what theyve dropped through the vorroa floor, so it'll be interesting if i can id any of it.

 

[MontyTom]

Kirk

Amazon do Kirk's book for £12.50

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Colour-Guid...ef=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1253828356&sr=8-2-fkmr1


Nice bloke he is too!