POLLEN IN PORTSMOUTH, NH

Today is the first full day of spring here in New England and our honey bees are getting eager to start foraging for the early pollen that will be produced by the numerous crocus plants, willows and sugar maples around our apiaries.  Honey bees are incredibly resourceful and will find any pollen that is being produced in the nearby area.  Last Friday, the bees in Portsmouth were flying and bringing back loads of beautiful yellow/orange pollen produced by the Yellow Crocus flowers around town.  

Pollen is vital to the honey bees at this time of year because it is the primary source of protein for the bees and is critical for brood development  within the hive.  Lack of protein will delay the buildup of worker bees needed to take full advantage of the first nectar flows.   

The video below shows a worker bee coming back laden with pollen and doing the waggle dance to alert the others in the hive of her find.  The dance is instrumental in providing directions to the other foragers on the location of the pollen source.  In this case, the pollen source was Yellow Crocus.