Posts Tagged: gold dust

Can't Cut the Mustard? Not Honey Bees!

The phrase "can't cut the mustard" (not able to handle the job) doesn't apply to honey bees. It's spring and honey bees are emerging en force from...

A pollen-laden honey bee nectaring a mustard blossom in Vacaville, Calif. this week: in between the rains! (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A pollen-laden honey bee nectaring a mustard blossom in Vacaville, Calif. this week: in between the rains! (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Mustard pollen is to a bee what a milk mustache is to a kid. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Mustard pollen is to a bee what a milk mustache is to a kid. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The bee is grabbing both pollen and nectar from a mustard blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The bee is grabbing both pollen and nectar from a mustard blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Rolling in the Mustard

A sure sign of spring: honey bees foraging on mustard. You'll see mustard growing as cover crops in the Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley vineyards, but...

A honey bee foraging on mustard on Sunday, March 18 in Vacaville, Calif. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A honey bee foraging on mustard on Sunday, March 18 in Vacaville, Calif. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Full speed ahead: "gold dust" or mustard pollen covers the head of this honey bee. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Full speed ahead: "gold dust" or mustard pollen covers the head of this honey bee. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Look closely and you can see the proboscis (tongue) of this honey bee. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Look closely and you can see the proboscis (tongue) of this honey bee. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

And she's off! A honey bee caught in flight as she leaves a mustard blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

And she's off! A honey bee caught in flight as she leaves a mustard blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

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