Xmas pollen

[monarda]

Last couple of days have been warm here in SE england and my bees have been foraging bringing back a little gorse pollen and lots of a very light yellow , almost white variety. Under a microscope the grains appear triangular. Any ideas anyone where its coming from ? Thanks in anticipation.

 

[Beefriendly]

Hummm does it look a bit like this?

 

[monarda]

Very similiar yep but I only have a beginners microscope so have none of the detail shown in your photo

 

[Swarm]

Is that Rosea family?
I was going to suggest Hellebore.

 

[Beefriendly]

Fraid'its a bit of an Xmas cracker type joke...it's Manuka pollen down a scanning electron microscope. The clue is Waikato University on the picture.

 

[Swarm]

No microscope here, I'm sure Rosea pollens are triangular but there are so many of them, better magnification is needed for identification.
Hellebore has pale coloured pollen and likely to be in flower.

 

[monarda]

Thanks Steve, I will look into your suggestions tomorrow

 

[monarda]

Sorry Beefriendly, that went completeley over my head.

 

[viridens]

Another possibility may be Daffodil. There are some early varieties with pale stamens in bloom now.
A little dandelion pollen is still coming in here.

 

[Beefriendly]

Sorry Beefriendly, that went completeley over my head.

Wasn't intended to. Its just manuka honey is a dirty word to UK beekeepers...I suspect it's jealousy that we cannot get the £30 a jar they get for it.

 

[Stiffy]

Wasn't intended to. Its just manuka honey is a dirty word to UK beekeepers...I suspect it's jealousy that we cannot get the £30 a jar they get for it.

When they can get out, bees have been looking at the parts of my Manuka hedge in flower at present! All came from same seed but different tree/ bushes (not sure if it’s a bush or tree) seems to flower throughout year.
S

 

[Beefriendly]

When they can get out, bees have been looking at the parts of my Manuka hedge in flower at present! All came from same seed but different tree/ bushes (not sure if it’s a bush or tree) seems to flower throughout year.
S

You have designs on cornering the Cornish Manuka market?
Good luck....
IIRC it's not even native to New Zealand and was considered a weed. At one point they found a fungus(?) that killed it and disease ridden manuka plants were sold in an attempt to eradicate it....Now they all want to cultivate it!

 

[Stiffy]

You have designs on cornering the Cornish Manuka market?
Good luck....
IIRC it's not even native to New Zealand and was considered a weed. At one point they found a fungus(?) that killed it and disease ridden manuka plants were sold in an attempt to eradicate it....Now they all want to cultivate it!

Tregothnan are already the market leader in Cornwall, in fact claim to be the only supplier outside New Zealand and charge £225 for 420g! Plant grows very well in far reaches of the county, with mine reaching 3m+. Need to splash out and get some honey tested, will be millionaires next year.....I don’t think.
S

 

[coffindodger]

Friend in Wirral has flowering Manuka. At sea level so protected as are local bees and they have been out this last few days.

 

[Beefriendly]

Tregothnan are already the market leader in Cornwall, in fact claim to be the only supplier outside New Zealand and charge £225 for 420g!

Just keep planting the stuff!!!
I tried growing some up here but it didn't survive the winter.

 

[monarda]

Thanks for your suggestions

 

[colinc]

Cut a flowering head, bang into open bucket of runny honey, achieve 50% pollen in honey, add germolene to flavour.
Taadaa! A bucket of “Manuka” honey.

Await arrest for fraud


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Cut a flowering head, bang into open bucket of runny honey, achieve 50% pollen in honey, add germolene to flavour.
Taadaa! A bucket of “Manuka” honey.

Await arrest for fraud


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro