Trifids

[Luminos]

Wondering where my bees were getting bright yellow pollen from, I tracked them down to our largely dried-up pond, where there are masses of Bidens Tripartita, or Trifid Bur-Marigold. The bees love it
I have lots of it, so if anyone wants some seeds in a few weeks' time, PM me.
It grows pretty much anywhere in my garden so I don't think it's fussy about location or aspect.

 

[Poggle]

Mine were coming back with bright yellow baskets about a month ago, seems they like Sweet Corn! The one that was flumoxing us was the BRIGHT blue pollen.........And I mean BRIGHT blue. We now think it was either Borage or Corn Flower.......We think my wife has just added Should make for interesting honey next year methinks

 

[mexbigshow]

sweetcorn is wind pollinated i don't think the bees go near it

 

[itma]

sweetcorn is wind pollinated i don't think the bees go near it

No idea about bee attraction, but in the garden its supposed to be planted in blocks (and not long single rows) for pollination (by the wind?) ...

 

[Poggle]

No idea about bee attraction, but in the garden its supposed to be planted in blocks (and not long single rows) for pollination (by the wind?) ...

Very true although, on our allotment we had a five metre row that was 5 rows wide, if you see what I mean? A kindova long block. Worked a treat it did, we got several dozen cobs from the rows. As for the bees, I have no idea, we are only assuming they were on the sweetcorn as that was the only thing with masses of yellow pollen on the allotment. They were coming back covered in the stuff as well!!

 

[For want of a better word]

Most grasses are wind pollinated... sweetcorn or maize is a member of that family

However I wonder if bees collect the protein rich pollen from it... I have never seen a bee near sweetcorn during the pollen powdering time... has anyone?????

 

[Chris58]

We had about 30 stalks near the beehive.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I've heard they will use maize if there is nothing else but I haven't seen it.
Isn't there something about GM maize pollen and german beekeepers here on the forum?
What I did see once before I kept bees was a pine tree in Bushy Park whose cones were covered in bees

 

[Luminos]

Most grasses are wind pollinated... sweetcorn or maize is a member of that family

However I wonder if bees collect the protein rich pollen from it... I have never seen a bee near sweetcorn during the pollen powdering time... has anyone?????

Surrounded by fields of maize here - never seen bees of any kind on it

 

[mexbigshow]

i had over 60 sweetcorn plants on our allotments and not a single bee on them, the pollen wasn't bright yellow but more of biege dust

 

[tonybloke]

Chris B will be along with info on bees collecting from several grass species, including sweetcorn/maize in a bit, I'm sure!

 

[tazbee]

Mine were coming back with bright yellow baskets about a month ago, seems they like Sweet Corn! The one that was flumoxing us was the BRIGHT blue pollen.........And I mean BRIGHT blue. We now think it was either Borage or Corn Flower.......We think my wife has just added Should make for interesting honey next year methinks

Hi poggle

The bright blue pollen is from Hydrangea aspera ( I think)


John D

 

[victor meldrew]

I was looking with wonder at some bright green pollen on my inspection trays when I realised it was chewd up oasis block, the bees attempts at removing same .
VM

 

[Poggle]

Hi poggle

The bright blue pollen is from Hydrangea aspera ( I think)


John D

That is a goodun then as there are no Hydrangea in the allotment.....Wonder if there are any in the houses that border the allotments?? Interesting. Thank you anyway

 

[mexbigshow]

they will be within a 3 mile radius, i never see any of my bees on my allotment plants they must go to bigger source 1st i think but i am surrounded by gardens, rivers and fields

 

[Beezer]

Mine were coming back with bright yellow baskets about a month ago, seems they like Sweet Corn! The one that was flumoxing us was the BRIGHT blue pollen.........And I mean BRIGHT blue:). We now think it was either Borage or Corn Flower.......We think my wife has just added Should make for interesting honey next year methinks

Phacelia perhaps?

 

[Rollo P]

Although sweetcorn/maize is wind pollenated , I have seen bees collecting pollen from sweetcorn in large quantities in late summer.

 

[alanf]

Isn't there something about GM maize pollen and german beekeepers here on the forum?
What I did see once before I kept bees was a pine tree in Bushy Park whose cones were covered in bees

The German bees were gathering pollen from GMO maize, variety Mon 810. http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/shortsharpscience/2011/09/honey-verdict-gums-up-gm-rules.html The maize might not need the bees because they are wind pollinated but because wind pollination is not very efficient, the plants produce a lot of it. Which suits the bees if not the plant.

Under a microscope wind distributed pollen is usually smaller than insect distributed and often has air sacs if you are trying to identify it.

Bees on pine cones will probably be gathering propolis. Pine trees do produce pollen but much earlier in the season. The full size pine cones appear later to hold the seeds and some species in the right weather conditions will produce a lot of resin around them.

 

[Erichalfbee]

The German bees were gathering pollen from GMO maize, variety Mon 810. http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/shortsharpscience/2011/09/honey-verdict-gums-up-gm-rules.html The maize might not need the bees because they are wind pollinated but because wind pollination is not very efficient, the plants produce a lot of it. Which suits the bees if not the plant.

Under a microscope wind distributed pollen is usually smaller than insect distributed and often has air sacs if you are trying to identify it.

Bees on pine cones will probably be gathering propolis. Pine trees do produce pollen but much earlier in the season. The full size pine cones appear later to hold the seeds and some species in the right weather conditions will produce a lot of resin around them.

Ah thanks for that.
Mon...... would that be Monsanto perchance?

I have seen bees collecting propolis from cones but no, this instance was in the spring and pollen was showering down from the branches like rain.

 

[alanf]

Mon...... would that be Monsanto perchance?

I have seen bees collecting propolis from cones but no, this instance was in the spring and pollen was showering down from the branches like rain.

Monsanto and a number, not named with a lot of imagination. The days when grain could be named something like Maris Otter has long past.

Thought you meant seen bees on cones recently. Yes, pines are wind pollinated with separate male and female cones, therefore loads of pollen. The females mature into the woody cones we are familiar with. The males with the pollen are usually much smaller, often clustered and may not even be obviously recognisable as cones in many species. The pollen grain is relatively large compared with grasses and can be seen falling as a shower in the right conditions.