Springtime: What to do with that full bottom box of pollen?

[2Sox]

Hi All,

Just anticipating springtime here in NYC, and checking to see what you all think of what I usually do for the bees regarding my question - and what suggestions you have if you do things differently.

First some background:

I only use mediums.  I don?t ever use excluders.  I leave the bees with as many boxes as they want going into winter.

Presently, I have seven live colonies. 2 have six boxes, 5 have five boxes.

In the spring, I take that bottom box full of pollen and distribute it among the other boxes - in that particular colony. Then I put an empty box on the bottom with foundation and/or drawn comb if I have it. 

I try to take out a few frames of honey and pollen and emptys from each colony for swarm calls and cutout jobs. In season, I get at least one swarm call a week, on average, and at least 5 cutout calls each season. Usually more.

What say you?

[The15thMember]

I run the same setup as you, except I winter my colonies in 2 boxes.  I do have one colony that is in 3 boxes right now, since they were acting very congested, so I slapped another box on them last week.  I usually just leave pollen wherever they have put it, and I will reverse my boxes if the bottom box is empty at the first inspection, as my bees seem to ignore an empty box underneath if I just let it go. 

[Michael Bush]

I just leave the pollen.  Usually they burn it up in the spring buildup and if they don't, they burn it up in a dearth.  It's never been a problem for me.

[2Sox]

Thanks for your reply, gents.

Michael, I leave the pollen too. I just redistribute it to the boxes above so I don?t have a box full of pollen on the bottom.  And if there is plenty, I take a few frames to start off my swarms and any cutout colonies - IF they may need it. But cutouts usually have enough of their own.  Usually one or two pollen frames from each one of my colonies is more than enough to take for that purpose.

[Michael Bush]

The bottom box is where they store it.  Why don't you want it on the bottom?  Sure you can redistribute it to those in need of it.

[2Sox]

The bottom box is where they store it.  Why don't you want it on the bottom?  Sure you can redistribute it to those in need of it.

Good question and good point. Not sure. I guess I wanted to economize space.  What do you do?

[Michael Bush]

I only rearrange things when I am trying to consolidate space (compress the hive) and that is usually because there is excess space.  Then I might rearrange things, but I probably would still tend to leave the pollen in the bottom.  I think it's a perfect place for it going into winter.  It gets used in late winter to rear brood before there is any pollen coming in.  Walt Wright wrote an article on "the pollen box maneuver".

[2Sox]

I only rearrange things when I am trying to consolidate space (compress the hive) and that is usually because there is excess space.  Then I might rearrange things, but I probably would still tend to leave the pollen in the bottom.  I think it's a perfect place for it going into winter.  It gets used in late winter to rear brood before there is any pollen coming in.  Walt Wright wrote an article on "the pollen box maneuver".

Yes, that was the purpose I had when I posted - compressing the colony that has too much space.

[yes2matt]

Does "too much space" in this context mean that they've made a tall chimney nest inside a cavity that is too wide?

I consolidate too (I force them into single deep brood nest) but I am often suspicious of my own better ideas.

Edit to answer your original q. When I am cramping them down for whatever reason (usually making splits) I would put the brood combs in the middle, pollen combs on either side, honey combs at the outer most positions. I "think" that the bees eating pollen are nurse bees tending brood so I "imagine" it to be "efficient " if it's placed close to them. All this thinking and imagining neglects that I have no blessed idea how bees actually redistribute their own resources, or what "efficiency " in a super organism would even entail.