Momma Bee Gotta Eat

More bee nests have appeared in these last few weeks, and still unequal cellophane bees have been cruising low on sunny days.

Laying eggs and provisioning their nests with food for the young costs momma bees a lot.  What did they have to eat this early in spring? 

Less than a week after I first spotted nesting bees, the big pussy willow beside the house began to bloom.  Since it's male, the tree produces a lot of nutritious pollen – the sole food of growing bee larvae.  A small European willow bloomed about the same time, but my small prairie willows and meadow willows (natives that I've planted) still lag well behind.  Much more important are the many red maples also in flower.  All of these trees are mainly wind- rather than bee-pollinated, but hungry bees don't care that much.  

 

Pussy willow catkins beginning to show pollen-laden stamens.

 

I'm a little embarrassed that I didn't notice red maples in flower until they were nearly done.

Like willows, red maple is typically gendered; this one is male.