Quantity and Color Types of Pollen Collected by Honey Bees in a Hive in Panaewa, Hawaii

Abstract

The amount of pollen collected by the Western honey bee, Apis mellifera L. relative to pollen color types and rainfall was studied on the UHH Agriculture Farm Laboratory at Panaewa, Hawaii. During the one year experimental period, monthly pollen samples were obtained from the test hive and daily rainfall data were taken at the site. Pollen collected varied each month from a high of 200.7 g in March 1985 to a low of 34.4 g in October 1985. The amounts of pollen were related to the previous month's rainfall. There were a total of 7 color types of pollen, beige, yellow, white, orange, green, rust and purple. Of these color types, the beige, yellow, and orange were present throughout the year in higher quantities.