Privet pollen

Ligustrum vulgare

Golden yellow, in the yellow range.

FloweringJune to July

PollenFair

NectarFair

SeasonSummer

WhereHedgerow, Woodland, Garden

Heavily scented stuff worked in warm spells, though the honey off it is nobody's favourite.

Privet (Ligustrum vulgare) in flower — Photo: Hladac, 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.

Evening primroseJune to September Meadow buttercupMay to July Winter aconiteFebruary to March HogweedJune to September Common limeJune to July

Confused with in the field

Noted by name in our own records, rather than worked out from the colour.

BrambleGreenish grey

Out at about the same time

BorageBlue grey BrambleGreenish grey Californian poppyBright orange Common limeYellow to greenish DogwoodPale creamy yellow ElderPale greyish yellow

Saw a load like this going in?

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

Pollen identifier