Foraging

[andy12]

This is my first summer keeping bees.
Can I assume that if the bees are out foraging and coming and going from the hive in large numbers that they are finding nectar?
Do they sometimes come back to the hive empty handed?

[Joseph Clemens]

If it's early in the day, they are probably collecting either, nectar, pollen, nectar and pollen, propolis, water, or even robbing honey from a nearby colony. Around here at 4-6 pm they do orientation flights, which can often immitate the appearance of a swarm beginning to emerge. I believe that foragers rarely return entirely empty handed.

[Michael Bush]

Sometimes they are scouts looking for sources of nectar and during a dearth they do come back empty handed. But they don't come and go at a steady rythmn in the same direction.

[Brent Bean]

You can tell if they are getting nectar or pollen the sound of the hives working a plentiful crop can be heard with a trained ear. There is a steady flow of bees usually going a certain direction. Today my young niece who likes to visit the bees with me and sometimes helps were watching one yard, today was the best of days sunny cloudless and light wind. We have finally had some rain and the goldenrod is in high bloom. When she commented the Bees sound happy, so I guess itÂ’s not just me others can sense or hear the difference, of happy or mad.