The mountains are awash with pollen and spring migrants

Waves of warblers are back in the Valley now. . With their numerous color variations they add a lot of visual beauty to an already spectacular spring season.

Bring the birdfeeders in by 4 p.m. daily. Also, hummingbird feeders are tempting to hungry bears.

The Valley like most of the area is loaded with pollen. The N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources reported that pollen has reached record high level . It is at some of the highest concentrations since air quality agencies started measuring pollen in the late 1990s.

The high pollen levels are most likely due to several factors, including the weather turning suddenly warm after a cold winter and cool early spring. Also, there has been little rainfall this spring. In addition to dry weather, winds have been blowing the pollen around.

Also, the coldest winter in eons delayed some trees that normally flower earlier in the spring, so that more different tree species are flowering at the same time.

For some, the enjoyment of spring is an ugly price to pay with sneezes, watery, itchy eyes, ears that pop and crackle, and the chronic sore throat. Then there are those who cough almost non-stop.

The conditions from mid-April until now have been perfect for pollen and wildfire. The hot, dry conditions make both events worse. When you add a mild wind of five to seven miles per hour, conditions are just right for pollen and fire.

The yellowish stuff coating cars is not the culprit causing all the human manifestations of allergies. It is pine pollen that is causing people to suffer and vehicles to be yellow coated.

Rain, which has been missing from the Valley for too long again, will help alleviate the pollen sneezes, but it won’t solve the problem. Pollen will still be around to cause discomfort.

Pollen is crucial for survival of all species. We can’t live without it and it is difficult for many to live with it. Without pollen, seeds would not form, and plants would die out. The pollen that causes most of the severe respiratory problems in human comes from plants that depend on the wind to disperse it. The small lightweight pollen blows around easily and is small enough to get into nasal membranes. Those who are most affected can stay inside, clean the air conditioner filter and pop an occasional antihistamine tablet. All of these should help stoop the sneezes.

Animals summer from pollen attacks also. Your dog may sneeze, cough and scratch until there are unsightly marks on its body. Check the inside of the ears. If they are more red than usual, and the dog is scratching them, it may be due to pollen. Each time you take the dog outside; wipe it down thoroughly before bringing it back inside.

Remind yourself. This too will pass, and Mother Nature will have done her job spreading pollen for another season.

Copperhead snakes are out of their dens, so watch your step in the garden. Also, watch where you put your hands.

Bumblebees are out now. They are gentle and slow. She meanders through the garden collecting pollen and nectar. She is never in a hurray. The bumblebee is round and furry. There is the large queen, the smaller and somewhat imperfectly formed female worker bee and the tiny male or drone bee. Only the queen and the worker bees have a stinger.

Important facts about bumblebees include:

· They live in small nests and never swarm.

· Bumble bees produce enough honey only to feed their young.

The Bumblebee’s biggest enemy is man with pesticide spray. Like every other form of wildlife, they are under serious threat from the chemicals used in flower and vegetable gardens.

· Bumblebees are much less aggressive than honey bees.

· * Bumblebees are hard workers in the garden. They repay man’s kindness by pollinating flowers, fruit and vegetables.

· The best flowers for bumblebees are any kind that is simple and open. They carry more nectar and pollen. Bumblebees enjoy foxgloves, hollyhocks, heather, lavender, oregano, cornflowers, mint, clover, marigolds, and beans.

The main job of bumblebees is to pollinate flowers.

Keep out plenty of clean water for bathing and drinking, and keep the feeders full during the day. Bring them inside by late afternoon to prevent tempting bears.

Listen for toad frogs calling.

May you always hear the whisper of wings.