Elm pollen

Ulmus spp.

Pale greenish grey, in the grey range.

FloweringFebruary to March

PollenFair

NectarNone

SeasonWinter, Spring

WhereHedgerow, Woodland

Very early and wind pollinated, but worked by bees for the protein.

Elm (Ulmus spp.) in flower — Photo: Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 4.0. Wikimedia Commons

Easy to mistake for these

Closest pollen colours in our set, measured the same way the pollen identifier scores a match. Colour alone will not settle it, so check the flowering months and what is actually growing near your hives.

Japanese knotweedAugust to October KnapweedJune to September Ribwort plantainApril to October MeadowsweetJune to August RaspberryJune to July

Out at about the same time

AlderGreenish yellow to olive ColtsfootDeep golden yellow CrocusOrange to orange yellow Winter aconiteDeep yellow YewPale creamy yellow BlackthornCreamy tan

Saw a load like this going in?

Sample the colour against all 89 plants, then keep a forage record per hive.

Pollen identifier