Achillea ‘Moonshine’ – Yarrow

Botanical Family Asteraceae

Bloom Time June – September

Pollen Characteristics

Dispersal Unit Monad

Aperture Number 3

Aperture Type Compound

Ornamentation Echinate

Tectum Semitectate

Size (um)

Shape Round

Pollen Color Orange

Honey Bee Resources

Pollen Source

Nectar Source

Chrysanthemum rubellum – Chrysanthemum


Botanical Family
 Asteraceae

Bloom Time October

Pollen Characteristics

Dispersal Unit Monad

Aperture Number 3

Aperture Type Compound

Ornamentation Echinate

Tectum Semitectate

Size (um) 30

Shape Round

Pollen Color Yellow, Orange

Honey Bee Resources

Pollen Source •

Nectar Source •

Verbascum chaixii – Nettle-Leaved Mullein

Botanical Family: Scrophulariaceae

Bloom Time May – July

Pollen Characteristics

Dispersal Unit Monad

Aperture Number 3

Aperture Type Colpus

Ornamentation Granulate/Perforate

Tectum Eutectate

Size (um) 

Shape Round

Pollen Color Orange, Red

Honey Bee Resources

Pollen Source • •

Nectar Source •

Taraxacum officinale – Dandelion

Botanical Family Asteraceae

Bloom Time March – December

Pollen Characteristics

Dispersal Unit Monad

Aperture Number 3

Aperture Type Porate

Ornamentation Lophate

Tectum Eutectate

Size (um) 35

Shape Round

Pollen Color Orange

Honey Bee Resources

Pollen Source

Nectar Source

Pollen Load Identification

Taraxacum pollen load is typically a large packet on the corbicula, but the pollen can also be found dusted on the head and antennae, and posterior thorax and abdomen of a foraging bee.

Resources

Hodges, D. (1952). The pollen loads of the honey bee: a guide to their identification by colour and form. London: Bee Research Assoc. Ltd.

Lindtner, P. (2014). Garden Plants for Honey Bees. Kalamazzo: Wicwas Press.

Rudbeckia fulgida – Orange Coneflower

Botanical Family Asteraceae

Bloom Time June – October

Pollen Characteristics

Dispersal Unit Monad

Aperture Number 3

Aperture Type Compound

Ornamentation Echinate

Tectum Eutectate

Size (um) 27

Shape Round

Pollen Color Yellow, Orange

Honey Bee Resources

Pollen Source • •

Nectar Source •

Flower photos contributed by Mount Cuba

Lycoris squamigera – Ressurection Lily

Botanical Family Amaryllidaceae

Bloom Time August-September

Pollen Characteristics

Dispersal Unit Monad

Aperture Number 1

Aperture Type Sulcus

Ornamentation Reticulate

Tectum Eutectate

Size (um) 83

Shape Oval

Pollen Color Orange

Honey Bee Resources

Pollen Source •

Nectar Source •

Leucojum aestivum – Summer Snowflake

Botanical Family Amaryllidaceae

Bloom Time April

Pollen Characteristics

Dispersal Unit Monad

Aperture Number 1

Aperture Type Sulcate

Ornamentation Perforate/Granulate

Tectum Eutectate

Size (um) 38

Shape Round 

Pollen Color Yellow, Orange

Honey Bee Resources

Pollen Source • •

Nectar Source • •

Lamium purpureum – Purple Deadnettle

Botanical Family Lamiaceae

Bloom Time May – November

Pollen Characteristics

Dispersal Unit Monad

Aperture Number 3

Aperture Type Mircoreticulate

Ornamentation Granulate/Perforate

Tectum Eutectate

Size (um) 31

Shape Triangular

Pollen Color Orange, Red

Pollen Load Identification 

Honey bee foragers collecting Lamium purpureum will typically also have a pollen dusting on their head and antennae.

Lamium spp. are valuable for brood building. All members of the mint family are attractive to bees.

Source

Hodges, D. (1952). The pollen loads of the honey bee: a guide to their identification by colour and form. London: Bee Research Assoc. Ltd.

Sammataro, D. and Harman, A. (2013). “Major Flowers Important to Honey Bees in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic States”. AlphaGraphics, Tucson, AZ.

Galanthus nivalis – Snowdrop

Botanical Family Amaryllidaceae

Bloom Time February

Pollen Characteristics

Dispersal Unit Monad

Aperture Number 1

Aperture Type Sulcus

Ornamentation Granulate/Perforate

Tectum Eutectate

Size (um) 25

Shape Oval

Pollen Color Orange, Yellow

Honey Bee Resources

Pollen Source • • •

Nectar Source • • •

Hedera helix – English Ivy

Botanical Family Araliaceae

Bloom Time September – October

 Pollen Characteristics

Dispersal Unit Monad

Aperture Number 3

Aperture Type Compound

Ornamentation Reticulate

Tectum Semitectate

Size (um)

Shape Round

Pollen Color Yellow, Orange

Honey Bee Resources

Pollen Source • • •

Nectar Source • • •