The rain has been so bad. I went to see my hives today today, it was so good. to see them on the move. I'm sure that they were happy to get things moving and start colleting.
I don't thin the forecast is still all that great for the next few days , but it can't be any worse. One good thing that I have read is that a lot of water in the ground will produce nectar, providing that the sun and warm weather cooperates too.
Orange Reddish pollen - I don't know but it could be from lilies. Some tulips have reddish pollen.
I think that you could remove the entrance reducer. I have not been using mine for weeks. And when you do use it flip it over so that the entrance is on top. Get use to working it this way, even with the smaller entrance
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is better than
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Going in the lower posistion can have it blocked with dead bees and debris (especailly in the Northeast winter)