# Bright red spots on bees heads



## Coweebees (Mar 4, 2012)

I have been observing honeybees in my yard (I don't have my bees here) the last few days and I have seen several that have bright red spots on their heads (as opposed to the color of varroa mites which is reddish brown). I even saw them on a mason bee. They are always on their heads. I have never seen this before. What could this be?


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## quevernick (Feb 22, 2011)

I believe its pollen, when I see it on my bees they usually have their sacs full of the same color pollen.


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## Rick 1456 (Jun 22, 2010)

I see this from time to time and wondered as well. Saw one yesterday that I had to do a double take. Looked like a Yellow Jacket Bees are pretty good fliers but landing skills are shaky at times. Couple that with the weight of pollen and or nectar and they fly into things. Me thinks the pollen bearing parts of flowers Some flowers anthers are sensitive to touch and release the pollen with force. I wonder if the bees have pollen explode in their faces when they crash land on a pollen pole?


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## LT (Aug 17, 2006)

It is pollen from the little blue flowers on the weeds growing low on the ground. Not sur eof the name


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## PeteBridwell (Nov 10, 2010)

We watched our bees working Henbit earlier this week, they had the red spots on their heads...really neat.


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## DPLONG (Feb 21, 2012)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pollen_source

A picture would definitely help, if it is pollen, you should see red pollen in their sacs as well. I haven't seen my bees red yet but there's been a lot of talk on here about red bees. I've heard a lot of talk about red pollen in dead nettle. The link is for a nice page from wikipedia that gives you average dates and colors of some of the different pollens you might see. I'd like to see my bees turn blue.


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## Coweebees (Mar 4, 2012)

Thanks everyone! Henbit is what they were working when I noticed the red spots. See http://www.horizonherbs.com/images/products/Henbit.JPG . However, when I just went out to pick some and crushed both the flowers and top leaves, I did not see anything red. Cloudy today so the girls are not out. I plan on capturing one when they do come back to take a closer look.


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## Coweebees (Mar 4, 2012)

I did not notice any red on their pollen sacs - that's what made me think it was not pollen. What I saw was only on the tops of their heads - nowhere else. I did go to the website that DPLONG provided and noticed that both peach and pear could product "red yellow" pollen - both are in bloom here. Just crushed a peach blossom - no red. Rain last night so don't know if that would affect anything.

Here's a pic from DPLONG's reference site of a bee working henbit with red pollen on her sacs. Hmmmmm 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/37/Ucan-ari1.jpg


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## djborglum (May 7, 2015)

I had the same thing. I decided to take a closer look and grabbed one. As I was looking closely I noticed that there was a little pollen in her pockets and it was the same color…. I have been watching them closely for days and only noticed yellow pollen coming in so I was worried until I saw her pockets…


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## scorpionmain (Apr 17, 2012)

Something like this on mine?:









I believe it's Maple Pollen.


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## dsegrest (May 15, 2014)

Are you sure it's not measles?


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## wildbranch2007 (Dec 3, 2008)

you have all heard of rudolf the red nosed reindeer right, these are the bees that lead the rest of the pollen collectors to the rich stores they need:shhhh:


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## Oldtimer (Jul 4, 2010)

It's been watching English TV and has gone punk.


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## Westhill (Jul 26, 2012)

I love when the bees look like this. Little red mohawks! It's pollen from henbit/red deadnettle.


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