Early pollen for the bees

Pussy willow loves wetlands. Which means we have a lot of it in Minnesota. It is almost always the first and surest sign of real spring here in the North–no more blizzards, no more sub-zero temps. It is also an incredibly important early protein source for honey bees. We have two hives of honey bees, and I saw the girls zipping around outside the hive a few days ago…which means they are hungry and on the hunt for food. Thank goodness for pussy willow pollen.

pussy willow with pollen (Salix discolor)