Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: Dexterjc on March 05, 2012, 10:52:59 PM

Title: Cells of pollen removed?
Post by: Dexterjc on March 05, 2012, 10:52:59 PM
As I was cleaning some dead bees from the screen bottom board of one of my hives, I found 30-40 cell shaped clumps of pollen. I am pretty sure that its pollen because each one is a different color of orange or yellow, but they are the size and shape of a cell, not just little bits of pollen. Why would they throw that pollen out?
Thanks!
Title: Re: Cells of pollen removed?
Post by: Michael Bush on March 06, 2012, 01:16:25 AM
Pollen loses nutritional value as it gets older.  They probably decided to replace it with fresh.  It could also be contaminated with pesticides.
Title: Re: Cells of pollen removed?
Post by: stanisr on March 06, 2012, 03:45:52 PM
Michael, could they be making room for brood?
Title: Re: Cells of pollen removed?
Post by: Michael Bush on March 06, 2012, 11:00:58 PM
I'm not saying that they couldn't be, but they typically don't remove pollen, they consume it instead.