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ocba - Re: [ocba] Pollen stores during rainy weather

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Subject: Orange County, NC Beekeepers

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Chronological Thread  
  • From: Randall Austin <ra41717 AT gmail.com>
  • To: rjarnts AT att.net
  • Cc: 'OCBA' <ocba AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [ocba] Pollen stores during rainy weather
  • Date: Sun, 22 May 2016 14:37:10 -0400

Jeanne,

Just my 2 cents --

First, you are right about Randy Oliver's website (scientificbeekeeping.com) -- it is one of the very few nonacademic/nongovernmental apiculture websites that have any value on the internet. I highly recommend it.

Second, the rain we've had recently, at least at my house, hasn't been nonstop or even "most of the time", looking at actual rain time versus non-rain time. There have been plenty of breaks where the bees forage.

That said, your question is an excellent one. I think you've already answered it: "should I base that decision on ... the pollen stores in the hive?" We don't need to guess or assume how much pollen the bees have ... it is far better to simply look. Good beekeeping is a hands-on sport. And all beekeeping is local, meaning that what is important is what is going on in YOUR hives, not somebody else's.

Regarding "I’d rather just give them pollen if it seems indicated and other beekeepers are doing so", I doubt many if any experienced beekeepers are feeding pollen/pollen substitute right now, given the abundance in the area at this time. I'm not. But again, what is important is what you are seeing, not what I am seeing at my place.

Does this help?

Randall

On 5/22/2016 12:17 PM, rjarnts AT att.net wrote:

I just read on the Scientific Beekeeping site (which is a site I think Randall recommended)--articles “Fat Bees-Part 1”and “Part 2”-- which said that “even just a few days of rain results in an almost total loss of pollen stores, forcing the nurse bees to dig into their vitellogenin reserves”  This results in multiple consequences affecting the health of larvae and new bees, as well as the foragers, basically resulting in weak bees without adequate nutrition stores in their bodies.

 

My question is: given all of the rain this spring, should I be feeding pollen patties to my bees?  Or should I base that decision on how much pollen I see being brought into the hive,  the pollen stores in the hive, and the amount of jelly in the larvae cells?  I did a half and half split this spring and, because I was checking every 14-6 days to look for signs of a queen,  I really don’t want to do an inspection until after the nectar flow; I especially don’t want to disrupt the colonies on the few sunny days we’ve been having.  I’d rather just give them pollen if it seems indicated and  other beekeepers are doing so.  Thanks for any responses. My apologies to Randall if this is not a site he recommended.   Jeanne Arnts

 

 





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