Help identifying orange pollen??

[MastoDon]

I live in the south San Francisco Bay area, on the western side of the Santa Clara Valley. In the past few days, some of my foragers have been returning with their pollen sacs stuffed with an interesting orange-colored cargo. Is there some more botanically-inclined person out there who can suggest which plants this stuff is coming from this time of year? Thanks in advance.

[Countryboy]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pollen_source is a good starting place.

You could always look at the pollen grains under a microscope and compare to a reference chart. It is more accurate than guessing by colors.

Goldenrod is a common orange pollen.

[MastoDon]

Thanks, Countryboy. I guess all I need now is a microscope and a reference chart with micrographs of Zone 16 pollen.

[Laurence Hope]

I see a little dandelion pollen occasionally through the winter. Kind of orange.

[Seymore]

Thanks, Countryboy. I guess all I need now is a microscope and a reference chart with micrographs of Zone 16 pollen.

Lol! I need those 2 items too!!! :d. My girls down here in central Arkansas were picking up the same thing. Bright red/orange. The closest I could come is that camellias were blooming a few weeks ago. I also wondered about crocus peeking their heads out. That's all I could come up with. Now I'll go visit the charts.