BBKA Forum

A mates bees are bringing in white pollen at the mo, despite googling, still no clue on what it might be? Any suggestions?

Christmas Rose, Helleborus niger has a very light coloured pollen. Might be another exotic though, depends where he lives. It's not snowdrop (red) or hazel (yellow) or Alder (greeney yellow) etc.

Ta Nigel. Hellabor is definately a possible. He lives north Leeds so anything is possible really. I didn't know if there was a "common plant" that was all.

There might be some 'green manure' fields about - such as, I believe, mustard and a winter radish. These plants hang onto the nutrients over winter and are then ploughed in, in spring.

My bees are bring back copious amount of white pollen at the moment here is West Suffolk, under the microscope it looks like clear droplets. Snow drops? Yew?
Images can be seen here:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/82mUXG8aidLF52rE7
https://photos.app.goo.gl/SHfMcJciQB534wx38
https://photos.app.goo.gl/CXobyCebDo7awBhi8

Hi LH and welcome to the Forum.

Great photos - loving the detail. Don’t think it’s snowdrop based on the colour but could be yew - is that in flower with you? Not with us yet but you are a good way away. It’s early if it is but nowadays traditional spring flowering seasons are all over the place.

It could just as well also be somebodies garden plant they have found however. Do you have a divisional microscopist?

Thanks for the welcome and the compliments!
One of my hobbies is photography.
Yes, we have yew flowering around here and has been for a while now.
Thanks again,
Lewis

lagomorphhunter wrote: ↑

15 Feb 2020, 20:46

My bees are bring back copious amount of white pollen at the moment here is West Suffolk, under the microscope it looks like clear droplets. Snow drops? Yew?
Images can be seen here:

Can you look under greater magnification. here is Snowdrop pollen natural colour and stained with Fuchsin stain.





Cheers, Mick.

I'm struggling to zoom in further, but will keep trying.