Every honey carries pollen grains from the plants the bees visited. Identifying and counting them shows where the honey came from and from which plants.

This is the principal basis of an origin claim, and it is a service beekeepers can obtain from laboratories.

What it is used for

• Botanical origin: Establishing a single-flower claim
• Geographical origin: Regional plant assemblages leave a signature
• Detecting adulteration: Honey whose pollen has been removed cannot be traced
• Understanding your own forage: Which plants actually contributed

The single-flower question

Claiming that a honey comes from one plant requires evidence. Pollen analysis provides it, but it is not straightforward.

Different plants shed very different amounts of pollen. Some are over-represented in honey relative to their contribution, others under-represented. A proportion that looks low may still indicate a dominant source, and vice versa.

Interpretation therefore requires knowledge of the plant, and thresholds differ by species.

Honeydew honey

Honeydew honey does not come from flowers and carries little pollen. Its identification rests on other markers, including fungal spores and algal cells picked up in the process.

Its high mineral content is another distinguishing feature.

The over-filtering problem

Very fine filtration removes the pollen grains. The honey looks clearer but its geographical trace is erased.

Origin cannot be proved in such honey. This is why over-filtering is viewed with suspicion in many countries and why coarse straining is the right practice.

What the beekeeper should do

• Harvest separately by flow period and apiary; this is the precondition for any claim
• Strain coarsely; do not remove the pollen
• Keep records: Which apiary, which period, which plants were flowering
• Have an analysis done if you intend to make a single-flower claim

Its value beyond marketing

Analysis also tells you what your bees actually worked. This often differs from what the beekeeper assumed and is genuinely useful for planning forage and siting.

Regulation

Rules on single-flower designations and origin labelling differ by country and are periodically revised. Check the current legislation before making a claim.