Do bees collect pollen and nectar all summer,fall and winter if available and it's not cold. Like in the 60 and 70s in the day ?
In FL they work all year except on the coldest days. I would imagine they do in S. Texas also but don't know for sure.
Mine do in south east Queensland Aus (I imagine similar climate to California). In fact at the moment they are having the time of their lives bringing in all the good stuff and its the middle of winter :-D
Mick
If they can fly, they scout and collect. I see them do it as often as they can through the winter. Last winter did not have the short spells of really chilly weather but the cold air lasted longer than normal with less warmer days for flight than normal.
I don't know about collecting during the winter up here in the Pacific Northwest, but when the temps go above 50 degrees they do cleansing flights, dumping fecal matter and dragging out the dead. Our first signs of pollen usually come from the maple trees in early spring.
Sean Kelly