[iahawk]

I'm in eastern Iowa. Bees are very actively gathering pollen, last week bringing in lots of yellow and white, mostly yellow today as I was watching. We have an orchard with numerous apple and cherry trees, very much in full bloom, dandelions are covering the ground, lilacs, early perennials, flowering crab, redbud--all in bloom. I see none of my honeybees on any of these. Maple, birch and alder are predominant trees producing pollen. Is this the source? One reason I started bees is to help pollinate my vineyard and orchard as well as garden, once things start to bloom there. I learned bees don't really pollinate grapes and now it looks like they really aren't doing much for my orchard either. Is this typical?:scratch:

 

[dave28210]

I can't take credit for this find, someone else on here posted....I just can't find the link. Great resource though.

http://www.pollen.com/allergy-weather-forecast.asp

 

[Hambone]

You can also see what color they are bringing in and try to referance to what is blooming.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pollen_source

 

[iahawk]

Thanks to both of you, great resources. I was just surprised to see No bees on all the flowering fruit trees we have in close proximity to the hive. There are many other smaller bees, but not honey bees, on the blossoms. I guess as long as they are bringing in plenty of pollen I'm not concerned, and my fruit trees do produce plenty of fruit. I had just heard that the honey bee does a superior job pollinating and had hoped to see them on the trees.
I like color chart and will need to bookmark that, as well as the local pollen chart.