Mahonia pollen

Mahonia spp.

Yellow, in the yellow range.

FloweringNovember to February

PollenFair

NectarYes

SeasonAutumn, Winter

WhereGarden

A garden shrub that carries bees through the darkest part of winter.

Mahonia (Mahonia spp.) in flower — Photo: Dguendel, CC BY 3.0. 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.

RockroseJune to August CowslipApril to May HoneysuckleJune to September ColtsfootFebruary to April IvySeptember to November

Out at about the same time

Winter clematisPale cream LaurustinusGrey, sometimes with a greenish cast Sweet boxCreamy white IvyDull gold to greenish Michaelmas daisyReddish yellow GoldenrodGolden

Saw a load like this going in?

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

Pollen identifier