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Author Topic: Bringing in pollen  (Read 1714 times)

Offline NCbeekeep

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Bringing in pollen
« on: February 21, 2014, 10:08:20 pm »
I checked my hives a couple of days ago. I have lost one out of five hives. I am not pleased but this seems to be the new normal for beekeeping.I also noticed that they were bring in a pale looking pollen. I suspect it could bee from the Maple tree but I have  two in my yard and did not see any bees flying in or out of these  trees.What else is blooming that could be the source of this pollen?
William

Offline Joe D

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Re: Bringing in pollen
« Reply #1 on: February 22, 2014, 10:40:35 am »
Not sure what would be blooming there, but still keep an eye on their honey stores.  Good luck to you and your bees.





Joe

Offline iddee

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Re: Bringing in pollen
« Reply #2 on: February 22, 2014, 10:44:08 am »
I can't see bees on my Maples, but with all the blooms, I'm sure they are there. I also have dead nettle blooming. I expect henbit is blooming, but haven't been looking for it, so can't say for sure.
"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me . . . Anything can happen, child. Anything can be"

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Offline GSF

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Re: Bringing in pollen
« Reply #3 on: February 22, 2014, 07:48:05 pm »
Montgomery, Alabama is about 33 miles south of me, a different grow zone and everything. Tons of henbit blooming. I saw the red blooms on what I guess to be maples. Also some brownish yellow blooms on something else. This morning I can see some white blooms starting to get ready to bloom.

Purple Martins are a migratory bird from S. America that show up in early spring. I heard about 4 or 5 on this guy's pole today in Montgomery. They have just showed up today or yesterday. The henbit is blooming like mad about 15 miles south of me.

get ready she's a-coming. Mine are going gangbusters with some pollen as well. Today I put out 3 quarts of sugar water and they sucked it dry. I only have one hive. I'm hoping some feral bees will take up in one of my empty hives.
When the law no longer protects you from the corrupt, but protects the corrupt from you - then you know your nation is doomed.

Offline 10framer

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Re: Bringing in pollen
« Reply #4 on: February 22, 2014, 08:46:18 pm »
gary, i was in pike road thursday and the henbit is wide open down there. 
the whitish pollen is most likely red maple.  i'm east of gary and the plums are going to be blooming in the next day or two and all my clover has hit a growth spurt the last week or so.  if you're seeing the same things you need to be getting equipment ready, the clover flow should be starting in a few weeks.

Offline GSF

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Re: Bringing in pollen
« Reply #5 on: February 22, 2014, 09:54:09 pm »
About the only thing (I think) I need to do is put out swarm traps. I'm antsy about my hive, I'm afraid it may swarm early(newbie stuff). Sure enough it is jammed packed with bees. I've been feeding them pretty good for almost a month now and today when I came home and found those brand newly filled quarts (filled this morning) empty I was concerned.

I also heard another funny sound tonight. There was one bee louder than the rest, about every 20 to 30 seconds it would go "zzzzzenntt". It didn't sound like the queen piping I've heard on youtube. Remember the other afternoon I was concerned with a possible queen cell.
When the law no longer protects you from the corrupt, but protects the corrupt from you - then you know your nation is doomed.

Offline sc-bee

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Re: Bringing in pollen
« Reply #6 on: February 23, 2014, 11:06:07 am »
Here in the Lower Piedmont of SC we have tons of bright yellow pollen coming in.
John 3:16