What pollens are the bees feeding on at this time of year?

[lievanation]

Have just gone down the garden to have a look at the hives and found all 3 hives busier than they have been all summer. Lots of bright yellow pollen. Any idea what they will be foraging on at this time of year?

 

[itma]

Welcome to the Forum.



Probably mainly Ivy.
Hopefully not so much eating it now, as storing it for the raising of spring bees, at a time when there's not much pollen to be collected.
Ivy should also contribute nicely to honey stored for over-wintering.

 

[jackstraw]

Ivy

In Kent there is a feeding frenzy on ivy. I've just walked down a narrow lane with mature ivy dominating the hedges. You could hear the bees working the ivy on both sides of the road as you walked down the middle

 

[thorn]

There was still HB coming in last weekend.

 

[beeno]

Have just gone down the garden to have a look at the hives and found all 3 hives busier than they have been all summer. Lots of bright yellow pollen. Any idea what they will be foraging on at this time of year?

Hi there,
Same situation here. Most definately Ivy. Strange that Ivy has orange pollen, but it is true I checked it out. Just inspected my hives thinking they would be full of stores, buy hey they are still raising brood. Hope they know what they are doing. Last year I was worried about winter bees now I am worried about winter stores! Well mine got it wrong last year. Let's hope they get it right this year.

 

[Cazza]

In my apiary it's pretty much exclusively ivy. All other tasty goodies in my garden are being ignored. It's like the Marie Celeste out there.
Cazza

 

[Into the lions den]

Himalayan Balsam and Ragwort are the prime pollens hereabouts right now. Late thistle and knapweed at moved verges, and milkweed and goatsbeard all being worked but less of them about. Couple of places have sunflowers on strips round fruit tunnels.........a lot of sunflowers.

 

[shudderdun]

Just need to ask this as I am not sure.

Is the sign of pollen being brought in an indication that there "is" Brood, or would the bees still bring pollen in if, for instance the colony was Queenless. ???

Thanks.

 

[itma]

Just need to ask this as I am not sure.

Is the sign of pollen being brought in an indication that there "is" Brood, or would the bees still bring pollen in if, for instance the colony was Queenless. ???

Thanks.

It is very far from conclusive.

 

[beeno]

Just need to ask this as I am not sure.

Is the sign of pollen being brought in an indication that there "is" Brood, or would the bees still bring pollen in if, for instance the colony was Queenless. ???

Thanks.

Hi there,
As itma says, it is far from conclusive i.e. they would still bring some pollen in if Q- but bucket fulls now if they were Q+ and raising brood. You have to inspect on a good day to find out!

 

[masterBK]

If you have several colonies and one of them is queenless it is fairly obvious which is the one. Queenless colonies do bring back pollen (and store it often in the centre of the combs ) but they bring back far less than queenright colonies. Similarly colonies with drone laying queens and those with laying workers also bring back pollen but as the brood nest is usually smaller less pollen is required so less is collected.

 

[beeno]

Just need to ask this as I am not sure.

Is the sign of pollen being brought in an indication that there "is" Brood, or would the bees still bring pollen in if, for instance the colony was Queenless. ???

Thanks.

Hi there,
As itma says, it is far from conclusive i.e. they would still bring some pollen in if Q- but bucket fulls now if they were Q+ and raising brood. You have to inspect on a good day to find out or prolong the agony.

 

[shudderdun]

Thanks for that, hopefully we will get some decent weather soon and I will be able to check for sure.

 

[shudderdun]

MasterBK, your reply is interesting as I thought one of my colonies had a drone laying Q, then just before this wet spell arrived I thought I spotted a small amount of worker brood, but I have not been able to check for sure, just hope I will be able to open up soon and hopefully all will be OK. These bees are bringing in quite a lot of pollen, fingers crossed.

Than you.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I had a queenless colony pack a brood box with five frames of pollen.

 

[rockdoc]

I've had a few hives go Q- this season and one give away is the 'roar'. My experience this year is the tone of the bees has been an accurate clue to whether you have a queen in the house, although I'm sure others will be along to point out other situations when the same clue may be detected in a hive.

 

[davidchevell]

Pollen

My girls are bringing in Ivy , Aster and Dalia pollen.

 

[Holly Bees]

i must learn how to upload photos... all my hives have been very busy today bringing ivy in. There is a lot of Holly and Ivy locally. Queens havnt been put off by thymolated syrup (10ml per gal) or Hivemaker thymol Oasis all Queens still laying well!