Too much pollen

[Rock_Chick]

I’ve got a dB hive , I’ve been though today and the bottom Bb is crammed with pollen, she only laying where she can find the room, The top box does have some room, but also getting full with pollen. In the past I’ve taken half the pollen out and put new frames in. It’s not the easiest hive to go though as it’s a bit on the nasty side. I’m wondering if I should put a clearer board on the worse box and get them a new bb to draw out.

 

[drex]

Frames of pollen come in very handy when making up nucs or splits. Pollen is a very valuable resource. By all means take out some of the frames, if queen is running out of space to lay. Foundation is not space to lay until it is drawn.

 

[Finman]

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Pollen is valuable stuff. £ 40 / kg.

 

[Erichalfbee]

If they are really short of space and you don't have drawn brood comb then put in a couple of drawn super frames

 

[Beefriendly]

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Pollen is valuable stuff. £ 40 / kg.

Any tips for harvesting it from brood frames?
40 quid is good.

 

[Rock_Chick]

Any tips for harvesting it from brood frames?
40 quid is good.

I like the sound of that too.

 

[fincaazul]

An esteemed beekeeper in the last century was accosted by a customer about "lumps" in the honey. Reply:" Madam, that is pollen, it is very nutritious and I have not charged you for it"

 

[mickbees23]

Any tips for harvesting it from brood frames?
40 quid is good.

I have heard you can put frames in freezer then knock the pollen out when its frozen into lumps...……. Absolutely no idea if it works though.

 

[Finman]

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Store the extra pollen frame. Then give in early spring the frames to hives. It gives real boost to brooding. Better than patty...

I bought irradiated pollen 40 €/kg. Don't brake brake combs. Bees eate pollen by themselves.

 

[mazzamazda]

We are fortunate enough to have pollen all year round and temps to suit but we do have a 6-8 week dodgy weather time where brooding slows and I'm sure it is more to do with access to pollen than temps suitable for brood. Next year I was thinking about feeding pollen pattys, I can buy dried pollen for 17 €/kg, what would be required to make pattys, I'm guessing your recipe Finman would need some tweaking for it to work?

 

[Finman]

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Is that dried pollen irradiated?
.

 

[mazzamazda]

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Is that dried pollen irradiated?
.

Guessing its been air dried

 

[Rock_Chick]

I went though another hive yesterday, on dB new queen just laying, bottom box 60% pollen, laying in 4 frames in the top box with rest of stores and pollen.

 

[Hebeegeebee]

After a wet and cold March this year my nucs stopped brooding as they had no pollen in the hives. My bigger colonies had enough pollen to keep them going - although colony development was delayed this year. Saving pollen is not a bad idea - although it will degrade over time. However my view is that if bees don't want it in the hives, they will remove it themselves.
If the colony in question are varacious pollen collectors - maybe trap pollen before it gets into the hive?

 

[Finman]

I went though another hive yesterday, on dB new queen just laying, bottom box 60% pollen, laying in 4 frames in the top box with rest of stores and pollen.

Give another brood box.

 

[Finman]

After a wet and cold March this year my nucs stopped brooding as they had no pollen in the hives. My bigger colonies had enough pollen to keep them going - although colony development was delayed this year. Saving pollen is not a bad idea - although it will degrade over time. However my view is that if bees don't want it in the hives, they will remove it themselves.
If the colony in question are varacious pollen collectors - maybe trap pollen before it gets into the hive?

= hopeless beekeeping. I am very pleased if bees collect much pollen.

Do not try to arrange everything, what bees use to do.

 

[Popparand]

Leave it to the bees

If bees dont want to bring in pollen they wont bring in pollen. If they are bringing in pollen its for a good reason. Why try to second guess the bees - they know best.