These pollen images are from a scanning electron microscope. Left image Bell Heather Pollen. Right Image Dandelion Pollen. Courtesy of The Animal and Plant Agency (APHA) Crown Copyright
Pollen at Your Fingertips: A New Tool for Beekeepers
by Peter Melville-Brown
Understanding what our bees are foraging is central to good beekeeping. Pollen tells a story about forage availability, colony health, and the wider environment. For those who enjoy looking more closely—perhaps with a microscope—pollen identification opens a fascinating window into the lives of our bees.
To support this, a new free iPhone app, PollenID – By PMB, has been created specifically for beekeepers. The app provides a growing reference library of pollen images and descriptions, focused initially on UK plants. It is designed to help users compare what they see under the microscope with known examples, making identification more accessible to beginners while remaining useful to experienced microscopists.
In practice, the app can be used at home, in study groups, or within association workshops. Members can examine pollen from traps, comb, or honey, then use the app as a quick visual guide. It encourages curiosity, shared learning, and a deeper understanding of local forage throughout the season.
This project is intended to be community-driven. While the current database focuses on UK species, there is a strong ambition to expand it—particularly with contributions from further afield. Members who already photograph pollen, keep records, or enjoy microscopy are warmly invited to help grow the library. By sharing images and knowledge, we can build a resource that benefits beekeepers everywhere.
The app is free to download from the Apple App Store:*
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/pollenid-by-pmb/id6756801839
Your observations could help shape the future of this shared beekeeping tool.
* (Please note there is currently no Android version of the app)