[The Soap Pixie]

Why my bees aren't bringing in any pollen? I've been watching them on and off all day and I see absolutely NO POLLEN on their legs. Is there a pollen shortage at this time? One week ago 1 out of 3 bees came into the hive with pollen on them.

 

[MikeJ]

There are slack times. They may be making honey. Is there a lot of going and coming without wasting time?

 

[The Soap Pixie]

Lots of coming and going.

I did the inspection today and last week we had 5 drawn frames and today we had 8 so I added the 2nd hive body. I didn't notice any larvae but that has more to do with my poor eye site I think. Tons of capped brood and brood that emerged.

They were very busy inside and out but each time I visit the hive I literally sit about 2 feet away with binoculars and not a single bee had pollen on their legs :s

 

[mdaniels]

I was wondering the same thing--lots of activity and still pollen coming in and out, but not so much as I noticed last week.

 

[solong]

I was wondering about the ones returning without pollen. Are they bringing in nectar or coming back empty handed?

 

[Mike S]

Mine are doing the same thing but very busy, I think their bringing in nectar. I've noticed a lot of them working white clover the last few days.

 

[MikeJ]

They don't bring pollen in in large amounts all the time. They work as the hive needs it. Besides there are times when pollen will not be as available as at other times. Here Dandelion, Maple bloom are the first pollen times.

Clover we should be getting clover up here in a few more weeks.
If God blesses it, we should be ready to get some honey this year.

I have been told that if the hive is very busy (coming and going) without a lot of delay to go in or out (unlike you see a lot of times where they seem to play around a bit before going in) they probably are on a nectar flow. Also bearding in the evenings with a lot of fanning at the entrance. Of course opening the hive is my method to check

 

[honeydreams]

it's what the hive needs at the time plus it sounds like you have a good honey flow going. So keep a eye on them and so you don't get honey bound!

 

[mdaniels]

What is "honey bound"?

 

[victory1504]

Field bees put the nectar anywhere there is an empty cell including right in the middle of the brood pattern. If the queen is slack in her duties the field bees will crowd her right out of the brood nest ! That is a sign of a failing queen. It is a "tug-of-war between a vigorous queen and the field bees to see how that brood comb is used. If the field bees crowd the brood nest with honey you are "honeybound". It makes the brood supers VERY HEAVY and means the hive is becoming weaker because not enough brood is being produced.
Hives tend to get honeybound late in the year as brood rearing slacks off. It is acceptable as the bees prepare for winter. It is NOT acceptable early in the year. Requeening may be indicated. Reversing the brood supers may help as the bees will tend to empty out the lowest super carrying the honey higher in the hive.

 

[The Soap Pixie]

Thanks for the explanation on "honey bound" because I also had no clue what that was. Gives me something to look for next inspection.

It might be a nectar flow as some of you have suggested then because they don't seem to be wasting any time coming and going and lots and lots of fanning going on. Didn't notice an excess amount of honey in the wrong places during yesterdays inspection though (so I'm assuming that is good).

I added that 2nd hive body yesterday (hoping I didn't screw up on timing). Moved one drawn comb with bees into the 2nd hive body. Will check in 4-7 days to see if it was a successful move.

 

[Stitches]

I was wondering about the ones returning without pollen. Are they bringing in nectar or coming back empty handed?

They collect water as well. Water isn't as easy to see when they bring it back.

 

[The Soap Pixie]

Stitches,

and this is something they do when it is hot outside correct? to cool off the hive?

 

[balhanapi]

I would take a good look at the brood frames to make sure I have larvae.
If the colony is one single deep(one box) the colony is in the build-up phase an will be making more brood than storing honey. They should be bringing in pollen if they have open brood.
Make sure that there is nothing wrong with the queen.
best wishes

 

[The Soap Pixie]

I think I'll check again tomorrow then. No pollen, single box (just added 2nd), and I didn't see any larvae, only capped brood. Lots of bees drawing out comb though.

 

[The Soap Pixie]

This is what my frames are looking like:
http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/7271/broodframes.jpg

 

[balhanapi]

I cant tell from this angle if there are any larvae..
did u find the queen?
There must be young bees in the hive who are the ones that make wax so they will be doing their job.
I would give this hive a frame of open brood with young larvae/eggs from another hive and check back in 2 days. If u see queen cells u have ur answer.

 

[victory1504]

This frame is definitely NOT honeybound ! It is normal for a brood frame to have 25-35% capped honey. Of course, the outer frames ( #1 & 10 ) may be all honey. This is normal. #2 & 9 may be mostly honey and pollen. This is NOT honeybound. When frames #3-8 are half filled with capped honey, that is HONEYBOUND.
Chances are excellent that those empty brood frames have eggs and larva in them.

 

[The Soap Pixie]

I had two friends over while inspecting the hive and although I didn't see larvae I asked the girls if they did and they insist they saw some on one of the frames (which makes me very happy).

I didn't find the queen but I'm not very good at that

I ended up getting a bit intimidated at one point and shut the hive prematurely. I moved one of the frames over and all of a sudden my bees on the two connecting frames let out the roar of a buzz. They sounded very angry. I don't think I smashed anyone (?) since the frames weren't like mashed together but whatever I did made for unhappy bees. I put frames together correctly and then got the heck out of there, missing the inspection of one frame.

 

[devdog108]

If i go out today to the beeyard, i will show you what honeybound is. They just superceded my strongest queen because i wasn't paying attention and didn't give them enough room to store their gold. I have noone to blame but me, but the lower 2 mediums were slammed pack with honey even though it was not capped. Anywhere there was not brood, their was honey....

Here is a shot of a lady getting a drink. Who says lilly pads r used by frogs only...LOL