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Author Topic: Bees finally get to fly today  (Read 2400 times)

Offline amymcg

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Bees finally get to fly today
« on: May 27, 2005, 05:05:11 pm »
It's been raining everyday since I brought the bees home a week ago, so today, even though it's somewhat cloudy, they all seem to be out doing their thing.  I even had to open up the entrance reducer a bit. I had a real traffic jam. All those poor little girls with their piles of pollen couldn't get in the door.

That being said, I'm surprised at the amount of pollen coming in considering I was pumping 6 inches of water out of my basement yesterday due to the heavy rain.

Anyone in MA seen a reddish orange pollen?




Offline leominsterbeeman

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Bees finally get to fly today
« Reply #1 on: May 27, 2005, 10:51:28 pm »
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


XXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

is better than

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
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Going in the lower posistion can have it blocked  with dead bees and debris (especailly in the Northeast winter)
Michael Keane
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http://www.leominsterbeeman.com

Offline Jay

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Re: Bees finally get to fly today
« Reply #2 on: May 27, 2005, 11:04:47 pm »
Quote from: amymcg


Anyone in MA seen a reddish orange pollen?


Hi Amy,
Yes, my girls were very happy to be out today after what seems like years of rain, and I did see them bringing in a muddy looking dark reddish almost brownish pollen. I think the red maples may be in pollen right now. I know some of my day lillies are open today for the first time. :D
By the rude bridge that arched the flood
Their flag to Aprils breeze unfurled
Here once the embattled farmers stood
And fired the shot heard round the world
-Emerson

Offline amymcg

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Bees finally get to fly today
« Reply #3 on: May 28, 2005, 08:56:44 am »
Thanks for the tips guys.  My hive is really just a 5 frame nuc in there. They have only just started to draw out foundation in the other 5 frames. Still think I should get rid of the entrance reducer?

Online Michael Bush

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Bees finally get to fly today
« Reply #4 on: May 28, 2005, 10:27:56 am »
Is there a traffic jam?  If so, then remove the reducer.  If not, then I'd wait until there is.
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
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