to Find Yew

At this time of year in the apiary one can see how the bees are doing, without any great exertion.

One simply has to stand and look at the hive entrances.  If pollen is being brought in to the hive then that is good.  Pollen is the source of protein for the bees to feed the new young larvae.

You can tell that pollen is being brought in because the bees collect it in little baubles attached to their hind legs.

Yesterday however was different.  The bees were bring in pollen, the colour of which I don't recall seeing before.  At this stage one runs to consult the book The Pollen Loads of the Honey Bee by Dorothy Hodges. I see my edition is dated 1952. 

So the pollen, by its colour was from a yew tree.  It really did not take long to find that tree. 

So here is the yew tree in flower.