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Author Topic: Does pollen mean nectar?  (Read 1554 times)

Offline Psparr

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Does pollen mean nectar?
« on: March 11, 2014, 10:31:56 pm »
Im in southeast PA and my bees were bringing in 2 different kinds of pollen today. First warm day around here.
Does the pollen indicate nectar as well? Sorry my first winter/spring with them. Thanks

Offline Bush_84

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Re: Does pollen mean nectar?
« Reply #1 on: March 11, 2014, 11:04:28 pm »
Not necessarily. Likely early on they are getting mostly pollen.  I don't know about your area but my first nectar flow is dandelion.
Keeping bees since 2011.

Also please excuse the typos.  My iPad autocorrect can be brutal.

Offline Vance G

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Re: Does pollen mean nectar?
« Reply #2 on: March 12, 2014, 01:32:10 am »
Way more early pollen than nectar.  That pollen will spur brood rearing and every year people lose colonies because the rapidly expanding bees starve to death.  I murdered one by my inattention last spring.  Complacency costs. 

Offline Wolfer

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Re: Does pollen mean nectar?
« Reply #3 on: March 12, 2014, 12:55:19 pm »
Way more early pollen than nectar.  That pollen will spur brood rearing and every year people lose colonies because the rapidly expanding bees starve to death.  I murdered one by my inattention last spring.  Complacency costs. 

This cannot be stressed enough. It doesn't take much feed to get them thru winter. Once brood rearing starts they will starve to death in a hurry.

By the same token if their fed too much they'll backfill the brood nest and probably swarm. Moderation in everything.

 

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