Pollen lumps in front of hive

[Bill W.]

One of my hives today has a bunch of pollen lumps out front (a few hundred).  The bees are bringing in lots of dandelion pollen and there are no signs of robbing.  Why would all this pollen be dumped out front?

This hive is a recent combination and is fairly crowded.  Might they just be clearing pollen to make room?

[rdy-b]

if the pollen is old pollen and not fresh-and is being cleaned from comb -i would suspect wax moth intrusion RDY-B

[Bill W.]

It appears to be brand-new dandelion pollen - the same stuff they are bringing in by the bucket-load - bright orange and just scattered around the hive entrance.

I don't see any evidence of wax moth on the combs.

[bassman1977]

Dandelion at this time of year?!?

I've seen this happen when my bees walked through the mouse guards.  They would bump the sides and the pollen would fall off.  I wonder if they just have so much pollen that it's falling off or maybe brushing against other bees and falling off.  If it's happening inside the hive, they may be doing house cleaning.

[1of6]

It appears to be brand-new dandelion pollen - the same stuff they are bringing in by the bucket-load - bright orange and just scattered around the hive entrance...

It's interesting that you mention this - I noticed a similar situation early this spring. 

This is what I saw in the landing board, and it was piled in the grass too.  Some of the bees could be seen dragging it back out of the hive before it was deposited in the cells.  Apparently management was unhappy with what was being brought in, or perhaps there was too much of it coming in.  Pollen was definitely not in short supply - maybe this was a case of too much supply and not as much demand, or they wanted the maple/other kinds of pollen deposited instead.




Sycamore seems to be the best fit at that time of the season for the source of this pollen...




Are the top pictures similar to what you're seeing?

[JP]

Pollen trap, pollen trap, pollen trap...


Need I say more?


...JP

[Jessaboo]

I'm not thinking pollen with that pic - I'm thinking animal droppings! Don't ask me what kind....

Was it really pollen in amounts that large? I can't even imagine one bee moving that!?

[JP]

Pollen trap time, big time!!!


...JP

[Bill W.]

Who needs a pollen trap when I can just sweep it off the hive entrance?

[JP]

Who needs a pollen trap when I can just sweep it off the hive entrance?

Your bees are bringing in excessive amounts of pollen, I would put a pollen trap on and harvest the pollen, it has all essential and nonessential amino acids, etc...


...JP

[1of6]

I'm not thinking pollen with that pic - I'm thinking animal droppings! Don't ask me what kind....

Was it really pollen in amounts that large? I can't even imagine one bee moving that!?

Yeah, that was a close-up.  Bees could be seen bringing it in as well.  That's what a large blob of pollen looks like when it's knocked off the pollen baskets.