Poplar pollen

Populus spp.

Dull yellow brown, in the brown range.

FloweringMarch to April

PollenFair

NectarNone

SeasonSpring

WhereWaterside, Woodland

Bees also gather sticky poplar bud resin to make propolis.

Poplar (Populus spp.) in flower — Photo: T. Kebert, 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.

AlderFebruary to March BlackthornMarch to April Wild cherryApril to May OakApril to May Traveller’s joyJuly to September

Out at about the same time

BlackthornCreamy tan BoxMuted yellow DandelionDeep orange GooseberryPale greenish cream Red deadnettleOrange red to brick RosemaryPale off-white cream

Saw a load like this going in?

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

Pollen identifier