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Author Topic: Do Workers Bring Pollen To a Queenless Hive?  (Read 2375 times)

Offline Ben Framed

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Do Workers Bring Pollen To a Queenless Hive?
« on: May 05, 2020, 03:34:08 pm »
In your experience, does worker bees bring pollen to a queenless hive?
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2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline van from Arkansas

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Re: Do Workers Bring Pollen To a Queenless Hive?
« Reply #1 on: May 05, 2020, 04:02:03 pm »
You bet they will.  I have seen several times.  One hive in particular last year came out of winter without a Queen.  I nursed that hive for weeks before I could requeen and yes, the bees brought in pollen and they were queenless for weeks.  I added brood to prevent a laying worker situation.  The hive survived and thrived after I requeened.
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I have been around bees a long time, since birth.  I am a hobbyist so my answers often reflect this fact.  I concentrate on genetics, raise my own queens by wet graft, nicot, with natural or II breeding.  I do not sell queens, I will give queens  for free but no shipping.

Offline Ben Framed

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Re: Do Workers Bring Pollen To a Queenless Hive?
« Reply #2 on: May 05, 2020, 05:30:46 pm »
Thanks Mr. Van. I think I have one :-)
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2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline van from Arkansas

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Re: Do Workers Bring Pollen To a Queenless Hive?
« Reply #3 on: May 05, 2020, 07:01:14 pm »
You very welcome , Phil.

More details about the queenless hive:  I discovered my queenless hive, last year during first inspection on a rare warm day in February.  Obtaining queens in February is next to impossible.  In March, I was able to open hives again, provide nurse bees and eggs/larva to the queenless hive.  The bees made a queen and all was well.  Honey Pump help me with this hive, last year via this forum.  I don?t think I would have saved that queenless hive without the help from HP.  Just giving credit where credit is due.

Blessings
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I have been around bees a long time, since birth.  I am a hobbyist so my answers often reflect this fact.  I concentrate on genetics, raise my own queens by wet graft, nicot, with natural or II breeding.  I do not sell queens, I will give queens  for free but no shipping.

Offline CoolBees

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Re: Do Workers Bring Pollen To a Queenless Hive?
« Reply #4 on: May 05, 2020, 07:17:47 pm »
Quote from: Ben Framed on May 05, 2020, 03:34:08 pm
In your experience, does worker bees bring pollen to a queenless hive?

Just a follow-up echo - Yes. Van covered it.   :grin:
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Offline Ben Framed

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Re: Do Workers Bring Pollen To a Queenless Hive?
« Reply #5 on: May 05, 2020, 07:59:15 pm »
Thanks fellows.  Yes Mr Van,  HP has helped me immensely also. As many of you have. I, as you , appreciate the whole beemaster family.
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2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline TheHoneyPump

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Re: Do Workers Bring Pollen To a Queenless Hive?
« Reply #6 on: May 06, 2020, 02:00:34 pm »
Quote from: Ben Framed on May 05, 2020, 03:34:08 pm
In your experience, does worker bees bring pollen to a queenless hive?

Yes, I do see this. Though no where near as aggressively and prolifically as a hive that has a laying queen and the nest is brooding.  The difference is very noticeable when you have hives nearby to compare, same day same time.  If the hive is all alone, it may not be as apparent.

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When the lid goes back on, the bees will spend the next 3 days undoing most of what the beekeeper just did to them.

Offline Ben Framed

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Re: Do Workers Bring Pollen To a Queenless Hive?
« Reply #7 on: May 07, 2020, 09:27:07 am »
Thanks Mr HP for the fine tuned answer, makes perfect sense.
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2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline Oldbeavo

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Re: Do Workers Bring Pollen To a Queenless Hive?
« Reply #8 on: May 07, 2020, 07:26:54 pm »
If the hive is queenless then the bees tend to put pollen and honey all over the frames, leaving no space for a queen to lay.
Pollen and honey all over frames is usually a sign for us that the hive may be potentially queenless.
I don't think the bring in any more pollen, other than there are no larvae to feed so it builds up quickly.
When you add nuc to these  hives they tend to boom due to extra stores in the queenless frames.
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Offline Ben Framed

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Re: Do Workers Bring Pollen To a Queenless Hive?
« Reply #9 on: May 07, 2020, 11:45:46 pm »
Thank you for the added, good information Oldbeavo. I will keep this in mind for the future.
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2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline TheHoneyPump

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Re: Do Workers Bring Pollen To a Queenless Hive?
« Reply #10 on: May 08, 2020, 12:28:13 am »
Where they put the pollen can be an indicator.  But not necessarily so.  I have some big hives right now in which the pollen is streaming in so fast and heavy they are packing sheet after sheet after sheet of pollen frames.  I am harvesting boxes full of pollen frames daily, haha, to use in nucs later.  The hives are definitely queenrite and the queens are definitely filling every hole she can find.  Good times, WaaaaYY! behind.  Gotta go, bye!
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When the lid goes back on, the bees will spend the next 3 days undoing most of what the beekeeper just did to them.

Offline Ben Framed

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Re: Do Workers Bring Pollen To a Queenless Hive?
« Reply #11 on: May 08, 2020, 01:22:23 am »
Amazing! I can only imagine the excitement you are experiencing. Canada must be a Beekeepers Paradise! I would love to visit someday!

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2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline Michael Bush

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Re: Do Workers Bring Pollen To a Queenless Hive?
« Reply #12 on: May 11, 2020, 02:05:11 pm »
In my experience, yes a queenless hive will gather pollen.  And since they aren't really using it, they often plug the entire brood nest up with it...
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Offline O4L

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Re: Do Workers Bring Pollen To a Queenless Hive?
« Reply #13 on: May 11, 2020, 02:38:36 pm »
Quote from: Michael Bush on May 11, 2020, 02:05:11 pm
In my experience, yes a queenless hive will gather pollen.  And since they aren't really using it, they often plug the entire brood nest up with it...
Should a pollen trap be used if you know the hive is queenless until there is a new queen?
« Last Edit: May 11, 2020, 03:08:49 pm by O4L »
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Offline Oldbeavo

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Re: Do Workers Bring Pollen To a Queenless Hive?
« Reply #14 on: May 11, 2020, 07:27:13 pm »
Your new queen will have unlimited space to lay and so there will be heaps of babies to use the pollen.
We never collect pollen and it doesn't matter how much they bring in, by the start of winter there is very little left.
They have used it to feed larvae.
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