With a few days of 60 degree (or even warmer!) weather behind us, I noticed the honeybees are out finding pollen to bring back to the hives.  The protein and nutrition in Spring pollen and early nectar is essential for the bees to build brood (reproduce more bees) and then fill the hives with honey as the warm weather comes to stay.

One of the first native species the bees find is Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum) The photos show the tree almost ready to flower. It’s bloom precedes the Red and Sugar Maples. Sometimes Silver Maple is overlooked because it has weak branches, but it does grow quickly, and makes a nice shade tree in a moist area where it has room to spread out.  

Perhaps you can identify a Silver Maple near your home or school this week by comparing buds to the photos posted here.