In June, a stiff breeze can send massive yellow clouds drifting from the treetops, coating cars, decks, and lake surfaces in a fine powder. It looks like smoke, but it is pine pollen. Conifers like red and white pines are wind-pollinated. Unlike flowers that rely on bees, pines rely on air currents to spread their genetic material.

To ensure success, they produce massive quantities of pollen. The grains are uniquely shaped with two tiny air bladders that help them float on the wind for miles. It can be a nuisance for anyone with allergies or a clean truck, but those yellow clouds are the reason the Northwoods remains a pine forest.