I was feeding my hives in southern New Mexico where I am overwintering them
and I noticed that they had began brood rearing. The bees were collecting a
cream colored pollen.  It was on the legs of the bees and and in the cells
around the brood.
 
Last fall I had the bees on white and yellow clover in the mountains and moved
them to this warmer location over the winter,  The pollen from the clovers
were more of a red/orange color.  In searching the source of the pollen in the
area all I could find was some bees in the lower portion of the spikes (hairy
portion that is seed bearing) of cattails (Scientific Name:  Typha spp.)
 
In reading "Western Edible Wild Plants" by H. D. Harrington, he mentions on
page 9 - 11 that the spike contains pollen and alludes to the fact that it
will last from fall into spring until it has been blown away by the wind.  He
also talks about collection of the spikes for pollen to use in baking and that
it can be stored for long periods of time after a treatment in an oven at 350
degrees F.
 
Has anyone had any experience with this plant or ones like it that continue to
hold pollen throughout the dorment times of the year for use by bees as a food
source?
Is the pollen from this plant a good source of brood rearing food for bees?
 
Ed Costanza
Edgewood, New Mexico, USA