Blue Pollen

[Busy Bee]

Hi all,

In a hive inspection yesterday I seen a bee with dark blue pollen on it's legs. Very unusual does anyone know what this sort of plant this would have came from.


Thanks

Busy Bee

 

[Poly Hive]

any willow herb about?

PH

 

[Mission]

I was just thinking the same Poly. I am waiting for the RBWH to come into flower in the next couple of weeks. When it did last year my bees capped honey like it was going out of fashion. It was very tasty stuff too!!

 

[Poly Hive]

Willow Herb/Fire Weed, is a major honey plant in BC Canada.

PH

 

[jon]

I saw the first rosebay willowherb flowers open at the weekend Busybee. The pollen is the colour of snooker chalk.
I also saw the first lime tree flowers open today and if we get hot and humid weather that can be a major nectar flow.

 

[planbee]

I've a book about pollen colours, written by Bill Kirk, from Keele University - I did my beginners course with him, about eighteen years ago,

Trouble is, I think I've loaned it out, and I cannot remember to whom.

My ladies were bringing in large amounts of something ranging from an intense yellow right through to a beautiful deep orange today - anybody know what that's likely to be?

Both hives near two small gardens, the remainder is fields, lake, and a couple of streams.

John

 

[Kathy Margate]

Dark blue pollen

Our bee inspector told us it could be oriental poppies.

 

[East Yorks New Bee]

Some of my ladies have been bringing really dark green pollen, what could this bee? Any ideas Please.

 

[BKF Admin]

If its like the dark blue colour of the forum then its Blackberry.

 

[Frisbee]

I think admin posted this link a while ago. It's American so misses a few British flowers out but it's interesting non the less.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pollen_source

Frisbee

 

[BKF Admin]

Well done Frisbee !
I forgot about that link.

 

[Floss]

My girls are loving my New Zealand flax at the moment and bringing in lots of beautiful bright orange pollen from it. If you live near gardens John it maybe this yours are bringing in? (Sorry, don't know how to do the quote thingy...!)

Floss