Pollen that is collected by honey bees is referred to as bee pollen. Pollen is collected from many different types of plants and varies in color and nutritional composition due to location and season. Pollen gets its color primarily from flavonoids (red, yellow, and purple) and carotenoids (yellow and orange). In the hive, pollen is used as a major food source for the developing larvae. Research has shown that pollen also contains beneficial nutrients for humans including a variety of vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, proteins and fat.