I'm having a pollen party!

[Jessaboo]

Spring officially started at my house today...despite the fact that it will be in the 20s again by week-end.

Southern New Jersey/Pennsylvania Border Feb 11 2009.

The consensus is skunk cabbage - anyone feel differently?






- Jess

[BjornBee]

Don't be surprised if it's something else.

I had a pallet of woodenware delivered to my house. The bees were cleaning out the sawdust from the frame grooves. And they are digging out the dust at the bottom of the bird feeder also.

It may be skunk cabbage. I just have not seen any myself yet.

[Jessaboo]

Hi Bjorn -

Thanks for the info - I had never heard of this happening.

Any idea why they would do that? I assume (and hope!) they can't use sawdust or bird feeder dust like pollen?! Is it just the confusion of the seasons...?

- Jess

[KONASDAD]

My bees are also in some saedust as well from a tree I cut down. I also have heather blooming which they are on a wee bit. I haven't gone down to the swamp to see if skunk cabbage is up. whats cool about skunk cabbage is it actually warms the soil at its base to bloom early to get a pollination advantage. Very cool. I will say it looks like pollen and not saw dust or something else. You should have loads of skunk cabbage near you w/ that creek about 1/2 mile away and all those mud flats!

[Cindi]

Jess, some really, really nice pictures you got goin' on there, really nice.  Skunk cabbage, that stuff grows in our ravine.  I'm going to get a picture to post, but I don't think that ours blooms for a long time from now.  Have a great and wonderful day, health.  Cindi

March 12 of last year.  Last year was an extremely late and cold spring, it will be interesting to see when the cabbages open this year, if the snow EVER goes!!!

[Jessaboo]

Cindi -

What a great pic! Skunk Cabbage is such a cool plant isn't it? Something about it just has that "prehistoric" feel.

If it is warm enough tomorrow I am going to go do some real hunting around our mudflats and see where they are coming up. I'll post if I get some pics.

- Jess

[Cindi]

Jess, look at this one that I am holding, it looks really cool.  Cindi

[Natalie]

I have never seen skuk cabbage before, its pretty cool looking. Thanks Cindi.

[Cindi]

Oh Natalie, I think you live near Ann.  There was a thread going around last spring where she posted some pictures of her species of Skunk Cabbage which is different than mine, she had a beautiful picture going on too.  I will look for her thread.  Hold on.....OK, I did a search on skunk cabbage using her handle name and this is the link to the thread.  Her Skunk Cabbage is totally different looking than mine, her picture is nothing short of astounding.  She goes looking in February and says in the thread that she didn't find any until March 3.  You're in her area, right? Seems I remember that post.  Have a wonderful, most awesome day, life, health. Cindi

http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php/topic,13536.msg97160.html#msg97160

[Natalie]

Thanks Cindi!! Yes I am near Ann, approximately 8 miles or so I believe.
I don't know why I have never noticed those before, I have heard the name but just never gave it anymore thought.
Now I will have to keep my eye out when I go out.

[Jessaboo]

Well, I did not find any skunk cabbage in my neck of the woods today but I did talk to some local garden club members this evening who claim to have witch hazel and bleep willow blooming in their gardens so something is going on out there!

Thanks for the pics and the link Cindi!

- Jess

[Cindi]

Jess, oh Witch Hazel.  That word has always had an allure to me, I have an intrigue for certain words.  Therefore, I googled it, I needed to know about it and the plant is very interesting, beautiful.  Would be a great pollen supply for bees this time of year for surely.  Have that most wonderful day, love and live life, great health. Cindi

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witch-hazel

[Natalie]

I noticed that the sedum is poking its way through the soil today.