Is there any truth to the statement that if the bees are bringing in pollen the gueen is laying? wm
Quote from: whiteflyer on March 31, 2009, 11:30:31 PM
Is there any truth to the statement that if the bees are bringing in pollen the gueen is laying? wm
As a general rule: yes, specifically: not always. The queen will start the spring brood build up once the foragers have located a source of pollen and nectar. The hive will use what is left of the stores to feed the brood as the nectar being brought back has to be condensed into honey. A Sudden prolonged cold snap in the spring can cause hive loss due to starvation because most or all the stores have been dedicated to growth in the forager population In the Fall the queen may very well quit laying batches of brood while pollen is still abundant due to the bees unable to forage and they use up all resources in the hive, including eating all eggs, larvae, and pupae still in the white.
The queen may quit laying during a pollen or nector dearth even is there is still limited supplies or pollen available, so that's a no situation.
The Bees may self impose a brood dearth to combat varroa, so there's another no situaton.
Satisfied?
thank you for the education. wm
I've seen the hauling pollen like there is no tomorrow when they were queenless.