Why Do Bees Leave The Pollen Behind?

[Jen]

Each time that I get an opportunity to switch out my 'surgical implants' with a wood/wax frame, I set the surg implant in front of the hive for a day or so for the bees to clean and glean. Most often they leave the pollen behind. Wonder why?

[Perry]

In the efficient way that bees work, it's probably too much effort versus the reward. That, and maybe they just don't need it right now.

[apisbees]

It would be impossible for them to re attach the pollen to their pollen baskets so they could fly with it. the pollen would need to be in a powder so the bees could rework the fine pollen grains in to their pollen sacks.

[Jen]

Makes sense... Thanks guys 

[Barbarian]

I can't add anything to the replies.

Thanks for the pic ..... interesting.  I can't help wondering if the mini-nuc frame is over elaborate for its' purpose. From the colour of the comb, the queen seems to have preferred laying in the normal part of the frame.

[LazyBkpr]

IIRC Barbarian, that was her original "HIVE" when she started beekeeping...  and learned not long after that she had been misinformed. So she inserted the frames of the mini nuc into standard frames in order to transfer to a full sized hive...    THEN, she ran into the problem of needing drawn frames, and THOSE were the ones she had.. so she is STILL trying to weed them out...   Been in similar situations myself..   That buggered up comb/frame gets used because it IS better than having nothing to start a new swarm or cut out on...

[Jen]

Nice explaination Scott, Thanks! And incidently, over the summer I have been able to transfer 6 of those freak frames out of my hives 

[CpnObvious]

Apis,

Playing Devil's advocate (as I often do), I understand that the bees may not be able to repack the packed pollen into the pollen sacks for transport... BUT, I watch bees fly away with random debris as well as dead bees to dispose of all the time... I would think they could carry s little packed pollen into their hive.  I think they do it to mess even more with Jen's mind... Keep her perplexed as much as possible.

Jen,

I hope you're not disposing of your Frankenframes!  frame one in a glassed-in shadow box and put it up on a wall!

[Jen]

Cpn- "I think they do it to mess even more with Jen's mind... Keep her perplexed as much as possible

     I have never been more perplexed in my life until I started beekeeping. Constant thinking, scratching head, and problem solving. Dementia is NOT going to get ME!

Cpn, "Jen, I hope you're not disposing of your Frankenframes!  frame one in a glassed-in shadow box and put it up on a wall!"

     By Golly they're not pretty but they kept my swarmy hives together and I went from 1 to 4 in four weeks. Can't beat that 

     If there was a bee hive hall of fame museum somewhere, the frankenframe would fit in right perfect! 

[riverbee]

great reply by apis on your question jen......

"It would be impossible for them to re attach the pollen to their pollen baskets so they could fly with it. the pollen would need to be in a powder so the bees could rework the fine pollen grains in to their pollen sacks."