Rosebay willowherb pollen

Chamaenerion angustifolium

Blue green to grey blue, in the blue / purple range.

FloweringJuly to August

PollenGood

NectarYes

SeasonSummer

WhereWaste and verge, Woodland

Railway banks, clearings and burnt ground. Sometimes called fireweed.

Rosebay willowherb (Chamaenerion angustifolium) in flower — Photo: kallerna, CC BY-SA 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.

Viper’s buglossJune to August LupinJune to July Oriental poppyMay to July BorageJune to September Field poppyJune to July

Out at about the same time

Bell heatherPale dull lilac grey Creeping thistlePale creamy yellow Field scabiousDark brick orange-red Globe thistleWhitish, pale cream Himalayan balsamGhostly white Ling heatherWhitish cream

Saw a load like this going in?

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

Pollen identifier