Mike,
I appreciate all the info. When I said the link I posted was related but not relevant to the original topic, it's because the original questions I posed were, rephrased in a nutshell: "Which plants produce pollen high in omega 3 fatty acids? Is it safe to assume that a plant whose leaf tissue or fruit is high in omega 3 fatty acids also has pollen that's similarly high in o3fa?" Additionally I've been searching to find out how I ascertain the content of the pollen my current plants produce.
The link I posted most recently is specifically in regards to the secondary metabolites produced by plant nectars and how they affect the parasite load in the guts of bumblebees. So, yes, it's definitely related - bee health! - but not relevant to the original question. It's interesting and useful for anyone choosing their plants with bee health in mind, but very far away from contents of o3fa in plant pollen.
Sadly, I have still not been able to find any answers that concern finding out what's in the pollen in the plants currently in my garden. I assume I'd need specialized equipment if I wanted to find out very specific info on my exact plants, but I had hoped I might find some generalized info. After all, the original study somehow had access to pollen with specific levels of o3fa, AND they found some reason to want to study it in the first place. AND I hope they would have had assumed someone might find some way to make practical use of the information. But so far, I have had very little luck with this.
In the end, the truth is I am more concerned about bumblebees than honeybees, and the original study was specific to honeybees (though I had hoped for crossover). Bumblebees overall have the most appreciation for a diverse selection of native plants, so I'll quit trying to overthink it to the point of breaking my brain and instead make up a buffet of a mix of native and related-to-native plants I know for a fact bumblebees love (penstemon come to mind immediately) and for good measure plant a few things that are known to have high o3fa in their tissue or fruit. For bonus points I'll include a few of the named medicinal plants that may help bumblebees fight off the Crithidia parasite.
