White pollen?

[Blessed Farms]

Today I have noticed several workers bringing in white colored pollen. Others are bringing in the normal yellow colored pollen. Does anyone know what type of plant that the bees are getting the white pollen from? I have checked the white flowered weeds around and see no bees working them.

[spieker]

Chicory is a common plant blooming where I am, and it has white pollen.

[Belewsboy]

Mine are doing the same thing. They are so loaded with white pollen and nectar that they stumble when they land at their entrance to the hives. I haven't seen them with pollen for about a month. About the only thing blooming around here is Sourwood, but we in the Piedmont of NC don't have as much as the mountains. Not sure what color Sourwood pollen is. I'm just glad they're bringing something in!

[Ben Franklin]

I too have wondered what pollen came from what plants. I found a link and will repost it here if I can find it again.
Know that we have had little rain I am surprised at what my bees are doing. Building up nicely and storing honey. But if we don't get rain soon I will have to feed.
Right now the bees are working white clover.

[Ben Franklin]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pollen_source
Check this out,,scroll down and you will see sources of pollen.

[Ricky Bee]

Jewelweed has white pollen. A tell-tale sign for Jewelweed is that sometimes you will see it on their backs, due to the stamens patting the bee on the back when they reach in for the nectar.

[Tom Brueggen]

Cool link. I spotted one of mine with a deep crimson colored pollen a few months ago and I was baffled. I tied everything on google for red pollen, and just got a bunch of garbage about red cedar trees. Look like she got into some chestnut. Not sure if that is common down here, but it was actually a deeper red than chestnut, almost a maroon color.

[julysun]

South of Houston we just has some good rain, the bees are jumping! Yellow, white and grayish/brown (muddy) pollen, and so quick after the rain. Weeds blooming and yard flowers perked up. But...dry weather ahead.
Finally worked out a way to glue one end of a comb foundation strip in the bottom of quart jars for my Jar-O-Honey super. Hope the bees like it!

[kspruiet]

I agree that this pollen chart from Wikipedia is great, I am always surprised that no one offers a wall sized poster of this chart.

[Aerindel]

I don't know if you have it there but around here we get white pollen from Knapweed. Sometimes the bees come back covered in it and look like they where rolled in powdered sugar.

[Blessed Farms]

Ben Franklin,

Thanks for the site. It is very informative.

[Seymore]

Thanks, Ben! Great site. I've seen the girls with white pollen too recently. Will be fun to try to figure it out. It's not Jewelweed - but that's a pretty plant!