Pollen collecting by honey bees

[sjt]

Please would someone tell me if honey bees collect pollen from non nectar sources such as grass pollens.

 

[masterBK]

They will collect from wind pollinated flowers like Hazel even though the amino acid spectrum of the pollen is nowhere near what they need. Also get grass and pine pollen (and lots of other stuff like fungal spores and hyphae) in the honeydew collected off trees.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I have Sen bees collecting pollen from maize

 

[sjt]

I was asking as someone in this area is selling 'grass pollen raw honey' and I wondered if there really was such a thing

 

[beeno]

I was asking as someone in this area is selling 'grass pollen raw honey' and I wondered if there really was such a thing

Any grass pollen would be incidental and I for one would consider it misrepresentation.

 

[Swarm]

No doubt it's great for hayfever too

 

[Finman]

.
There are lots of plants which do not have nectar and feed pollinators only with pollen: Poppy, roses, verbascum, rhubard, Sorbus,

 

[Amari]

.
There are lots of plants which do not have nectar and feed pollinators only with pollen: Poppy, roses, verbascum, rhubard, Sorbus,

I love watching the bees on the pussy-willow in the spring - presumably not nectar- producing

 

[Millet]

Never seen a Rhubarb Flower ? .

 

[Heather]

Yes, when rhubarb goes to seed it produces a stumpy red flower. You obviously mote prompt at harvesting.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I love watching the bees on the pussy-willow in the spring - presumably not nectar- producing

Willow produces both nectar and pollen

 

[Finman]

Willow produces both nectar and pollen

You can see willow nectar droplets with eyes.
.

 

[Finman]

Never seen a Rhubarb Flower ? .

IT is 1.5 - 2 m high white bush. You have seen it, but you did not knew what it is.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Bee on a plantain this morning.
Not a good picture but you can see it's got a dotted head

 

[Webby]

They were all over my pampas grass last year, just starting to come through now.

 

[masterBK]

Some willows also have extra floral nectaries

 

[Millet]

What about meadow sweet apparently that only produces green pollen.

 

[Finman]

.
There are bee plant tables in internet. Data is not all correct, but you may look flowers in nature. I recommend nature watching. Then you learn identify colors on landing board.

Knowledge about bee plants is very poor in my country, and far from right.

 

[MadAnt]

I have Sen bees collecting pollen from maize

+1.But bees do that, when they are short on pollen.