Honeybee at work

A honeybee collects pollen from a pink flower the morning of Sunday, March 5. When springtime temperatures continue to reach 55 to 60 degrees (and above) for several days in a row, it triggers spring flowers to bloom.

It was a chilly morning and the flowers on this Japanese quince bush were not blooming two days previous. I did not see but a few honeybees on this morning. But as you can see, this honeybee was collecting a lot of pollen.

The back leg of the bee is heavily laden with yellow pollen from this flower and other flowers it was visiting. Although March 5 is too early to count out nights that deliver frost or even the possibility of snow, it is a sure bet that spring has arrived in Southeast Missouri.