Pollen coming in; how good an indicator is this of a new queen laying.

[user 20297]

I'm just wondering if anyone can hazard an experienced guess on the percentage chance of this being evidence that I now have or am about to have a laying queen.
A queen will have emerged from a cell in the hive five or six days ago and we've had settled, but not glorious weather since then. The bees have been in that slightly listless state for a week or so with no pollen coming in. Yesterday afternoon they suddenly sparked into a healthy frenzy of activity to the extent that I became concerned that they may be being robbed. Today they're suddenly bringing in neat parcels of pollen.

 

[Swarm]

As good a sign as any I would say. People will tell you there is no indication at all but observe a few mating nucs around your timing and the bees will tell you.
Hope she is a good one. Let us know what happens.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I'm just wondering if anyone can hazard an experienced guess on the percentage chance of this being evidence that I now have or am about to have a laying queen.
A queen will have emerged from a cell in the hive five or six days ago and we've had settled, but not glorious weather since then. The bees have been in that slightly listless state for a week or so with no pollen coming in. Yesterday afternoon they suddenly sparked into a healthy frenzy of activity to the extent that I became concerned that they may be being robbed. Today they're suddenly bringing in neat parcels of pollen.

In general it’s not but in this particular I would indeed be optimistic
Exciting times ….let us know when you look in a couple of weeks
I always love a new homemade queen.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Bees bringing in pollen means that..............
Bees are bringing in pollen - nothing more

 

[Curly green finger's]

Bees bringing in pollen means that..............
Bees are bringing in pollen - nothing more

I've seen queenless colonys bringing in pollen for weeks not loads but... And the activity wasn't really that busy.
Fingers crossed for you @Beebe

 

[Erichalfbee]

<<<< I've seen queenless colonys bringing in pollen for weeks not loads but...>>>>>

Along those lines I’ve seen a queenless colony practically fill a whole 14x12 with pollen

 

[user 20297]

<<<< I've seen queenless colonys bringing in pollen for weeks not loads but...>>>>>

Along those lines I’ve seen a queenless colony practically fill a whole 14x12 with pollen

Oh well.....

 

[Erichalfbee]

Oh well.....

See post 3

 

[user 20297]

See post 3

Thank-you. When (if) I identify a queen in the hive, laying or not, I'll be sure to get a photo update here. Somehow, this year, I've already managed to nurture three other naturally raised queens who are leading happy, healthy colonies of their own. With this one I've been stretching my boundaries of beekeeping just a little bit far!

 

[Swarm]

Oh well.....

They will bring in pollen, it's what they do but you will recognise flying with purpose from going through the motions

 

[user 20297]

They will bring in pollen, it's what they do but you will recognise flying with purpose from going through the motions

.....I watch them all the time...there was purpose; they were elbowing each other out of the way.

 

[REDWOOD]

Orientation flights are a better indicator but you would have surely been in to have a look by then

 

[drex]

I wish you well. The quenless colony I have to sort out at the weekend has a whole brood box of pollen. Mind you, it all sounds very good

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I wish you well. The quenless colony I have to sort out at the weekend has a whole brood box of pollen. Mind you, it all sounds very good

yes, but did they bring it in with great enthusiasm?

 

[Worker bee]

If you want to know if you have a queen pollen isn't much of an indicator. I have people all the time point it out while I have hives requeening and I disregard it. More of an indication is the overall tempriment of the hive. That's a huge amount of factors. Are there lots of polished cells mid flow, how do the bees react to your inspection, are they calm? After ten mins are they still calm, do they roar after 10 15 mins without smoke and the list goes on. Experence can guide you but no matter how much you have your bees will always surprise you

 

[user 20297]

Bees bringing in pollen means that..............
Bees are bringing in pollen - nothing more

Stop ripping off @Finman's style.

 

[user 20297]

If you want to know if you have a queen pollen isn't much of an indicator. I have people all the time point it out while I have hives requeening and I disregard it. More of an indication is the overall tempriment of the hive. That's a huge amount of factors. Are there lots of polished cells mid flow, how do the bees react to your inspection, are they calm? After ten mins are they still calm, do they roar after 10 15 mins without smoke and the list goes on. Experence can guide you but no matter how much you have your bees will always surprise you

Yes, I can just take the lid off and find out for certain. But I'm leaving them alone for a while and simply wondering if they're giving me a clue; I won't be laying a £100 bet on it. )

 

[Worker bee]

Yes, I can just take the lid off and find out for certain. But I'm leaving them alone for a while and simply wondering if they're giving me a clue; I won't be laying a £100 bet on it. )

Yep but wh

Yes, I can just take the lid off and find out for certain. But I'm leaving them alone for a while and simply wondering if they're giving me a clue; I won't be laying a £100 bet on it. )

Leave it until you've had three days of weather above 14c two weeks after emerged without rain then maybe you'll have a mated queen but check seven days after that to see eggs. But still you could have a queen or no. I've had queens start laying nearly two month after emergence. No good this time of year. If no lay then combined. You need a queen fast to lay eggs fast if not you must donate eggs and brood fast

 

[Ian123]

As others have said bees will bring in pollen but if you walk down a line of mating Nucs you can make an educated guess with the activity at the front. If your curious just have a look it’ll save the 25 other posts

 

[user 20297]

As others have said bees will bring in pollen but if you walk down a line of mating Nucs you can make an educated guess with the activity at the front. If your curious just have a look it’ll save the 25 other posts

......agreed. It seems that some beekeepers are strictly pragmatic and literal and have maybe lost that sense of wonder about bees which I am still lucky enough to have held on to.
....or maybe they're just sick of seeing simpleton questions such as mine?