ÐßÐßÊÓƵ Pollen Count

It looks like the holiday weekend brought a new player to the microscope slides. While birch is still holding onto its "high" status, we are officially seeing the seasonal debut of spruce (Picea).

• The Birch Plateau: After dipping to 129 before the weekend, Betula has ticked up slightly to 133. It’s clear the "birch takeover" isn't over yet; the trees are still steadily releasing pollen despite the recent rain cycles.
• Enter the spruce: We have our first moderate reading for Picea at 15. Spruce pollen is much larger than birch or alder and is easily identified by its "Mickey Mouse ears" (two large air sacs that help it float). While it's less allergenic for most people than birch, it's the one that eventually creates that visible yellow dust on cars and puddles.
• Alder holding steady: Alnus remains consistent at 44. It hasn't quite reached the "high" threshold again, but it’s a significant secondary contributor to the current pollen load.
• Poplar fade-out: At just 2 grains, Populus has nearly vanished from our samples, marking the end of the early-spring aspen/poplar season.