Author Topic: Pollen Plugged  (Read 1621 times)

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Offline Jen

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Pollen Plugged
« on: August 02, 2020, 01:00:31 am »
What do you guys do when there has been a short dearth, the queen slows down, and then the bees plug up the frames with pollen?
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Offline iddee

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Re: Pollen Plugged
« Reply #1 on: August 02, 2020, 05:05:23 am »
Move them and replace with honey or empty frames. They will move honey, but not pollen.
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Offline Jen

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Re: Pollen Plugged
« Reply #2 on: August 02, 2020, 11:33:54 am »
Good morning Mr. Wizard  :) Then, what do you do about the pollen plugged frames? just scrape it down?
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Offline iddee

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Re: Pollen Plugged
« Reply #3 on: August 02, 2020, 12:20:55 pm »
NO. I leave it in the hive, just away from the brood nest. They will need it at some time, or move it to a hive that needs it now.
“Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.”
― Shel Silverstein

Offline Bakersdozen

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Re: Pollen Plugged
« Reply #4 on: August 02, 2020, 01:41:51 pm »
iddee, couldn't you do the same to frames that the bees have back filled with honey?

Offline iddee

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Re: Pollen Plugged
« Reply #5 on: August 02, 2020, 03:21:08 pm »
You can in swarm season, but there is no need to at other times. The bees will move honey around when they won't move pollen.

“Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.”
― Shel Silverstein
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Offline Jen

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Re: Pollen Plugged
« Reply #6 on: August 03, 2020, 12:51:15 am »
I have found that to be true about pollen. And it's a pain in the butt when new beekeepers don't have any stored drawn wax frames. So their frames get pollen plugged, and they have to be replaced with new plastic foundation of which the bees take forever getting the wax started.

I know of another beekeeper that saves some of the pollen plugged frames for when pollen is needed, then scraps down the other plugged frames to where there is still just a little bit of wax on the foundation. This way the bees don't have to start building again on the plastic. I think it's a pretty good idea.
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Offline Zweefer

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Pollen Plugged
« Reply #7 on: August 03, 2020, 09:57:42 am »
For old pollen the bees will no longer touch (previous years) soak the frames in warm water for a couple of hours. The pollen will come out, leaving drawn wax behind.
Bees always prefer fresh pollen, so sometimes those frames would otherwise effectively empty space in the hive.
« Last Edit: August 05, 2020, 06:59:44 pm by Zweefer »
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Offline Jen

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Re: Pollen Plugged
« Reply #8 on: August 05, 2020, 02:20:38 pm »
How old is old pollen? Last years pollen old?
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Offline Zweefer

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Re: Pollen Plugged
« Reply #9 on: August 05, 2020, 07:08:16 pm »
Typically, yes if it was plugged last season, unless in a severe drought / dearth, the bees will not touch it.


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Keeping of bees is like the direction of sunbeams.
Henry David Thoreau