Bees & Pollen collecting

A single bee can bring back a pollen load that weighs about 35% of the bee's body weight.

It has been observed that honey bee workers choose pollen based on the odor and physical configuration of the pollen grains rather than based on nutritive value. A typical size honey bee colony (approximately 20,000 bees) collects about 125 pounds of pollen per year. On average, 15-30% of a colony's foragers are collecting pollen. A single bee can bring back a pollen load that weighs about 35% of the bee's body weight. Bees carry this pollen on their hind legs, on specialized structures commonly called "pollen baskets"