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Last week I had a 54 degree day and decided to install pollen patties in my hives, when i had them open i noticed the bee's were allready brining in pollen.
The snow here is just melting away nicely and I am wondering where is the pollen coming from this early in spring?
skunk cabbage? elm,maple
willows, crocus, maple, skunk cabbage are the bigger ones for early pollen
The girls were bringing in pollen in good amounts here (MASS) last week (2 days, 50's and 60's) even though snow cover was still ~ 30-40% (!?!?!). Plenty of skunk cabbage spadices, and I think they put out an olive green pollen, but they were bringing in some tan stuff and a little yellow too. No maples here yet. but I'm thinking hazelnut(?). Catkins are looking pretty lanky, but haven't seen any puffs of pollen from them. I'm on my 10th month as a beek, so it's new to me.
Search your State Pollen source online, alot of states have done studies and the reports list plant/date and sometimes pollen color. Jim
We are getting just the very beginning of pollen being brought in- looks like only a few girls with very small amounts of tan pollen. No maples or willows blooming yet here, though the crocuses are blooming.
Winter anconite, pussy willows, crocus were blooming as of Sat but forget about that for a week or so.
If you have Maples in the area my bet is on them. They start here in the South as early as late December. And bloom all the way to Feb. The majority bloom late Jan-Feb. But, some do start earlier even if you don't notice. The bees will find the ones blooming early.