Where Have Your Bees Been?

My snowdrops are confused; in fact I think everyone’s snowdrops are. They are definitely not sure of the time of year and are fewer and further between than usual. From a horticultural and scientific point of view, they have missed the natural cold snap that tells them to get ready for their late winter debut but I like to think that perhaps it’s also because the daffodils are out early – perhaps they think, “Oh my God, I’ve over-slept; best just keep quiet until next year,” and just snuggle back under their leafy duvets.

I have picked a few snowdrops and put them in a little vase on a mirror tile. That way you can see inside the beautiful shy flower-heads – it’s very effective. You can also put a tiny drop of red food colouring in the water, which will turn the flower-heads pink as they pull up the water. Not quite so beautiful, you can’t beat those brilliant pure white petals, but fascinating nonetheless.

But my very favourite snowdrop pastime is watching the bees reverse out from the pendant blossoms with their pollen bags full of bright orange pollen. Little things like that bring me enormous pleasure and you can buy little pollen colour guides which will indicate which flowers the bees have been visiting based on the colour of the pollen on their legs.

You can buy a little Pocket Pollen Colour Guide at http://www.beekeeping.co.uk/pocket-pollen-colour-guide-b35 for £2.50 and I have also found a good (if slightly intense) chart on Wikipedia if you Google ‘Pollen Source’.

My own bees were flying en mass last week, which worried me a bit as they will be using up vital stores. It was like a March day – there was strength in the sun, the bees were flying well and the daffs are out, no wonder the snowdrops are confused; they’re not the only ones!