The Pollen Landscape

This book follows one colony of honey bees through their year of gathering pollen in North Wales to see what they find and how they use it. The author looks at the plants which make the pollen and the different aspects of the relationship that pollen creates between flower and bee. With the help of a microscope, he examines in detail the variety of pollen forms and how these can affect the bees as they are collected.The cycle of the hive is of course bound to the seasons, as these help to determine when forage is available, but there also exists a vital connection to the landscape and the type of plants it can provide. Therefore, the author looks at where the bees in this north Wales hive find their pollen and in turn how they cope, or struggle to cope, in the landscapes shared by human and honey bee. A personal account by a former lecturer on ecology and beekeeper on the relationship between pollen and the honey bee. Suitable for those interested in honey bees, beekeeping, ecology, palynology and pollinators.