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Author Topic: Uh Oh! Bees bringing in beige pollen  (Read 4723 times)

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Offline Jen

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Uh Oh! Bees bringing in beige pollen
« on: January 25, 2014, 03:09:14 pm »
Doing my morning visit with my bees. Weather has been in the 60's for 3 days. Today I see bees bringing in biege pollen. In our region winter is Definately Not Over! Does this mean the queen will start to brood?
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Offline DMLinton

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Re: Uh Oh! Bees bringing in beige pollen
« Reply #1 on: January 25, 2014, 03:49:08 pm »
I would say probably.  The bigger issue may be that the bees will burn through their honey stores more quickly raising the risk of running out of food before Winter really is over.
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Offline Perry

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Re: Uh Oh! Bees bringing in beige pollen
« Reply #2 on: January 25, 2014, 04:02:03 pm »
Around here, if they bring in any beige pollen in the next two months, it is probably the sawdust from all the wooden ware I've been building, and yes, bees will bring back whatever they can find at times. The fact that they are should warn you about brood rearing as DM mentioned.
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Offline Jen

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Re: Uh Oh! Bees bringing in beige pollen
« Reply #3 on: January 25, 2014, 04:50:54 pm »
I put on a winter pattie a week ago and they are all over it. The hive still hefts heavy tho, but lighter than a month ago. Ordered another winter pattie, but also ordering MegaBee and Honey B Healthy and will make my own. Yikes!
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Gypsi

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Re: Uh Oh! Bees bringing in beige pollen
« Reply #4 on: January 25, 2014, 05:45:21 pm »
I just do pollen sub and fondant and 1%syrup.  and I never use HBH, not while we have drought and dearth, robbing is bad enough without drawing every thing for miles in to rob my hives
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Offline Jen

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Re: Uh Oh! Bees bringing in beige pollen
« Reply #5 on: January 25, 2014, 06:06:06 pm »
It's too early for pollen in my area, we can have cold snowy winter until May. I like the winter patties for now cause it's just bee food without pollen which would encourage the queen to produce gargantuan amounts of babies way too early.
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Offline riverbee

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Re: Uh Oh! Bees bringing in beige pollen
« Reply #6 on: January 26, 2014, 11:02:37 am »
jen, are you near any almonds?  or do you have alder trees?
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Offline Jen

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Re: Uh Oh! Bees bringing in beige pollen
« Reply #7 on: January 26, 2014, 02:15:19 pm »
riv- no almonds, and alders would be about 12 miles away up in the hills.

These 60 days are tricking the bees I think.
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Offline apisbees

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Re: Uh Oh! Bees bringing in beige pollen
« Reply #8 on: January 26, 2014, 05:48:12 pm »
cat willow is one of our first early pollen producers But produces no nectar, so the pollen will get the queen laying but with no nectar the bees will start to go thru their stores.
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Offline Edward

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Re: Uh Oh! Bees bringing in beige pollen
« Reply #9 on: January 26, 2014, 07:20:30 pm »
If it is p u s s y Willow "Salix caprea" you meant it does give pollen and necktar.

There are male and female trees , one gives pollen and necktar and the other gives only pollen but of a higher quality.

mvh Edward  :P
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Offline Jen

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Re: Uh Oh! Bees bringing in beige pollen
« Reply #10 on: January 26, 2014, 10:15:31 pm »
By reading off the posts the riverbee gave I'm inclined to think it Maple around here, light tan pollen color.
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Offline riverbee

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Re: Uh Oh! Bees bringing in beige pollen
« Reply #11 on: January 27, 2014, 11:36:54 am »
it very well could be jen, maples and 'river' willows are the first pollen sources for my bees here.
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