Pollen time!

-Posted by Isaac

See those cells filled with orange and yellow?

That's pollen.

The bees bring it in on their legs.

Then they stuff it into the cells by ramming it with their heads. 

And there's been a lot of pollen ramming this week. In fact, this is the week that turned the corner. The cold is gone and the world has come alive!

If you're a central Ohio beehive, clinging to life through the last of winter, this is the week you must think you've died and gone to heaven. Or if you're a jihadist bee, martyred and gone to paradise.

Tell me that's not paradise??

I'm not sure where the 72 virgins fit in, but we're too busy to worry about the details. There's pollen out there! 

I was out working on our apple pollinators yesterday and decided to take a little stroll. The air was so alive with bees, and the multicolored pollen was coming in so fast. I just had to see for myself.  Within about 100 feet of the hives, I found the cause of the ruckus. Or I should make that plural-- causes. Not only the fields covered with dandelion and purple deadnettle (pictured above), in the garden I found the bees roaring about the henbit:

And this white ground cover... don't even know the name.

Then walking under the willows, I noticed that they're still kicking out the pollen.

And look who just decided to bloom-- our pear tree!

The bees found it almost the minute the blooms opened.

Then there was another nearby tree I hadn't noticed on other years. Out giant cottonwood was vibrant with noise.

I'm sure there was much more. This was all noticed during about a two minute walk. It's a wonderland! 

It all leads to what a commercial beekeeper calls 'pollen porn':

The pollen leads to feeding the next generation.

And the next generation leads to more workers to gather more pollen.

Leading to bigger and bigger hives.

Which is a good thing because we like to take big hives into the apples. The apple boys don't like to pay for dinks. We're moving the girls in tomorrow night.

And not a minute too soon.

Apple pollen on the menu for next week!