My eco solution to rat problems

[TheChookKeeper]

Whilst I inspected my hive properly for the first time on Sunday - I was with my Dad, who used to keep bees when I was little - and I was merrily looking through - when I found their pollen reserves... all good I thought - then I saw RED pollen. Closely followed by GREEN pollen, along with various shades of yellow and orange.

 

Now - don't laugh - but I thought all pollen was different shades of yellow/orange - I did not know you could get red and green pollen!

I was doubting it, until I saw a bee running along the frame I was holding, with pollen sacs bursting with strawberry-red pollen.

 

Well, I thought - you learn something new every day!

 

Every time I open my bees up, I am learning something new about them - experience just goes to show - the books can only tell you so much!

[MedusA]

It always amazes me the variety of colours of pollen. I keep meaning to get a proper pollen chart to try and identify where my bees are foraging.

 

When I put my slide tray in for varroa monitoring there are always bits of pollen that fall on it too. It's fun to taste diferent colours and see if they taste differently.

[Olly]

You taste pollen ... off the varroa tray? Hmm, not sure I fancy doing that. In fact with my hayfever/allergies, I'm not sure I would want to taste it at all!

 

I've got a little pollen chart, although it's actually quite hard to identify different sorts, as a lot of the colours are very similar. I believe the brick-red stuff is horse chestnut, though. It is fabulous to see all the different sorts.

[chickenanne]

I've a pollen chart too! I'm glad someone else finds telling the colours apart tricky.... I generally find that I can narrow it down enough to be sure becuase of waht's flowering locally.

[Macfoy]

This is useful, although American so some of the names are different and some of the flowers/shrubs/trees are not common in this country.

 

Canola for example is Oil Seed Rape

 

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

 

Macfoy

[peepie]

Eating local pollen is supposed to be very good for hayfever in small amounts as is eating local honey which will have traces of local pollen in it. It desensitises you I believe is the technical term - can't say I've had the need to try though.

[Olly]

I know, and I bought some local honey (as I didn't get any last year, not getting the bees in time). I get hayfever, related to birch pollen, and I also have something called oral allergy syndrome which means I'm allergic to most fruit unless it's cooked/peeled. Unfortunately, I seem to be allergic to the local honey!

[peepie]

Oh dear Olly - it was worth a try though. Maybe you'll have more luck with your own honey from your bees this year.

xxx