Red Pollen

[Geoff]

Do you think the red pollen that is coming in is lime? I live in a town and I was quite surprised when the swarm I collected and this colony, which I persume is a cast, started bringing in bright red pollen. Most of the pollen, and they are both bringing in loads is bright yellow. I persume that would be field buttercup as there is loads in some rough fields nearby.
But what colour is lime? There are some really big lime trees within a quarter of a mile and I think I just got a whiff of the scent when I walked past today. There are buds at ground level but I wonder if it is in full flower high in the canopy.

 

[Beewolf]

Looks like propolis to me - notice how it has a slightly shiny appearance and is also a much smaller load than a normal pollen load?

 

[gavin]

I was wondering that. If you still have horse chestnuts in flower locally, their pollen is red - but it does look like propolis.

G.

 

[FenBee]

I agree with Beewolf, it looks like propolis. Common Lime pollen is light orange in colour.

 

[BKF Admin]

Its a tough call because Horse chesnut is just that colour.

 

[Polyanwood]

You wil soon know if it is propolis because if it is, they won't put it in the cells

 

[Geoff]

I did not get a good view of this bee - they dont hang about much do they. But the other hive had a load of red pollen, as two sacs, but i had used up all of the memory card at that point.
am glad to hear about colour of lime. i hope they start working that soon. Those trees are big.

 

[BKF Admin]

I think Lime needs a certain type of weather to give a good flow.
Is it warm and humid ??

 

[Mosquito]

I have loads of Horse chestnut trees around and all of them have finished flowering.
Also the red pollen is not shinny like the picture.

 

[BKF Admin]

Has the horse chesnut finished in Shropshire Geoff ?

 

[Finman]

.
Some Galeopsis have red pollen.

 

[Geoff]

The horse chestnuts have finished. Haven't seen any of those round here Finman.
Do honey bees go for red campion? Got loads of that but cannot even see the pollen - must be hidden down the throat.
What about thistles, will honey bees go for those? Or is it one of those things that only bumble bees can go for? Not far from here there are some fields that are not well managed and I noticed there are millions of thistles of different kinds starting to develop their flower buds.
Having bees really gives you a different outlook on things. I find myself now going round and thinking , "Oh that will be good, or they will be able to use that in a few weeks."

 

[BKF Admin]

A sample sent to Bcrazy will answer the question..

 

[Finman]

. Haven't seen any of those round here Finman.
."

These are common weeds. http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/organicweeds/weed_information/weed.php?id=32

 

[Geoff]

Ah now I have got that Finman at my father in law's garden about 1/4 mile away. the soil is much lighter and drier than in my garden. Not flowering yet.
Today they have all started to bring in orange pollen.
Had a look at the swarm I collected the other week. Could not find a queen but where ever she is she is fertile. Perfect pattern on two frames. Sealed brood in the middle with big fat grubs around that.
Checked on the two nukes brought in from EasyBee. Told not to mess around, just check the queens were out. Both queen cages empty and spotted one queen running around. She came up to the light rather than running away - i peeped down between the frames without moving them.