[USCBeeMan]

going on at the front of 2 or 3 hives yesterday around 2PM. It was sunny and got up to around 50. Bees were flying to my sugar water bucket with float. Bees were doing a lot of cleansing just before getting to the sugar water or as they were leaving the sugar water.

Later the bees were still flying but there was no more orientation activity in front of the hives.

Are the orientation flights an indication of an increasing brood development? If so, would it be best when it gets above 50 on a clear sunny day to add some pollen patti to the hives?

 

[mike haney]

after the solstice brood laying increases in the hive,yes. orientation flights are an indication of brood hatching. i only feed pollen if the hive does not have enough stored and there is none available.

 

[USCBeeMan]

We have no pollen coming in at this time. And I need to check for pollen stores. Guess I should have prefixed my question with "If pollen stores are low".

 

[mike haney]

should be pollen any day now. i am just north of you and the pussy willows look ready to open to my untrained eye. if i were in doubt, i would feed pollen to mine. be carefull about too much disruption of the hive just yet. good luck,mike

 

[USCBeeMan]

There are some large trees that are really advanced in their budding. Not sure what kind of tree. May be hackberry or some early maple.

 

[standman]

Ken, I am trying something new this year. I have put global patties on all my hives. When I checked them two weeks ago, the were all low on pollen, though all were still living. I am concerned about hive beetle, but I have plans to combat them during the summer.
Maples are definitely ready to bloom in our area, but I have not seen much activity from the dandelions yet. Did not make much honey last year, hoping for a better year.

 

[Beaver Dam]

A week or so back, before this last cold snap here around Ft Worth we had several day in the 50's. I put out 1-1 and dry Megabee. They worked it good.