Pollen coming in, so that means....just what exactly?

[Rurification]

On June 10, Hive #1 swarmed.   I caught the swarm and put it in 2 medium boxes with 1/2 drawn comb and 1/2 foundationless empties.  [That's now Hive #4]  There was a big orientation flight this morning and tons of pollen coming in.   So that means the queen is happy and laying, but isn't that too soon for an orientation?  According to Michael's bee math page, the first brood should emerge around June 29th.  It has been really hot and humid here, hives in full sun.     Might all that action be an indicator of them thinking of swarming?

On June 13, I split Hive #1 [the motherhive] to prevent another swarm. [It didn't work.  They swarmed again June 20 and I wasn't able to get it.  Rotten bees.]   I put the split in Hive #5 with 2 partial queen cells and several frames of brood/larvae/eggs from #1motherhive.  That was 11 days ago.   Even if one of the q cells was capped within 2 days of the split, it's too soon for a new queen to be doing her thing.  I checked Michael's Bee Math page and very best case for a new queen would be by about June 29th [right?] and probably closer to July 4th.    BUT...I see a lot of pollen coming in.  What's the pollen mean?

Here are my questions:
For Hive #4 [the swarm] - I should check that they have enough room on top.  If they have eggs, the queen is happy and laying.   Right?

For hive #5 [the split] -  If I check them now and see eggs, then they probably had a virgin queen in the box when I split it.   If she's laying, I'll see brood.    I don't have to check them until after July 4th or so when they really for sure should have a queen doing her thing.    What does the pollen coming in now mean?   

For hive #1 [the motherhive that swarmed twice] - Make sure they have enough room on top.   They should be going with another new queen by July 10th or so.    If they swarm again....I might have some problem genetics.  Right?

[Rurification]

Just opened #5 hive [the split] to see what I could see from the top and I'm pretty sure I heard 2 queens piping.   I decided not to do anything else until they had sorted things out, so I closed them up and will wait for a couple weeks to check for eggs.

I'm guessing they're bringing pollen in because the queens have emerged and they're laying up stores.

[indypartridge]

[ Hive #4]     Might all that action be an indicator of them thinking of swarming?

I wouldn't think so, but you can tilt up the boxes and see if there are any swarm cells, just in case.

Hive #5 What's the pollen mean?

Seeing them bring in pollen is a 'good sign' in that that they need pollen for raising brood, but in and of itself, it doesn't mean much. Bees collect nectar and pollen - it's what they do.

For Hive #4 I should check that they have enough room on top.  If they have eggs, the queen is happy and laying.   Right?

Right.

For hive #1  If they swarm again....I might have some problem genetics.  Right?

Maybe, but sometimes a colony just gets itself in 'swarm mode' and it takes awhile to settle down. I've had colonies throw multiple swarms, but later settle down and be productive colonies.

[Rurification]

Thanks, Indy!   I've been in ' can I get them through the winter' mode for so many years that I don't have much experience with actually dealing with regular spring/summer hive stuff.   It's nice for a change, but I feel pretty ignorant.

[Rurification]

OMG.  So when my husband got home we went out to look at the hives just in time to see #5 send out a swarm.   One of those piping queens decided to up and leave.    We were able to catch the swarm and put it in the very last box I have [Happened to be a nuc with some nice comb, too.]   Crazy bees.

Must make more boxes this weekend.     

[cao]

Must make more boxes this weekend.     

I've said that a time or two myself.

[Rurification]

cao - I know, right?!     I've had such a hard time getting bees going here over the past few years that I never thought I'd run out of my stack of boxes.   Good thing we just finished cutting all the deep frames down to mediums.   

Let's hope I've finally turned the corner and am able to keep some hives here year round now.   That'd be a nice change.

[rwlaw]

After a hive swarms (if you know about it), you can/should go in and see if you've got a chance to make splits from the existing queen cells. Sometimes the hive won't intentionally cast after swarms, it'll be a case of queens fighting and then one fleeing the hive and taking bees with her.

[Acebird]

Bees are hoarders.  They collect more honey and pollen then they need.  That is why they collect pollen when you think they don't need it yet.
It sounds like you have been collecting swarms of swarms.  By doing this you end up with an apiary of bees that just swarm.  I don't know if it is a result of you doing or not doing something but I would suggest you buy a mated queen and try to get one to stick in a spring split.  You have to do this BEFORE there are queen cells not after.
Another approach would be to collect someone else's swarm or a native swarm that comes from an established hive hoping to get genetics that keep the bees around for a season.
Good luck

Someone else has this as a signature line, "If you don't change what you are doing you will always get what you get".  I think it applies.

[GSF]

Robin, Congrads!!! fyi, Swarms can be some box filling machines. During the flow a swarm from my yard will draw out and fill with nectar an 8f deep in 7 to 10 days. Get ready! Feeding them will help. If they need it you've helped, if not, no harm done. I've had swarms throw swarms.

I'm proud for you. I sold 3 hives to a friend in our club. I felt sorry for her,  she lost all her hives in one year before getting some from me. She made the comment, I just want to make some honey. Well thank God. She went from 3 hives to 5 or 6 and still made several gallons of honey. Talk about a happy camper. Think ahead, winter's coming and so are the mites.

[Rurification]

GSF - Thanks.  You confirmed what I've been seeing.  My initial swarm - the one with the original queen - has already filled 2 boxes to the brim with BROOD.  I put a super on so they can put away some stores now.  I swiped 2 frames of her brood/eggs yesterday and gave one to the hive she swarmed out of and one to the brand new swarm we just got in order to anchor them.   They're much happier now.  I figured #5 had a queen because I heard her piping.    I'll go in and check #5 [split] and #1 [original] again in 2 weeks to make sure they've each got a laying queen.   In the meantime, the original hive #1 has packed away 2 mediums full of nectar [not capped yet, but we're in a clover flow so fingers crossed.]  The 2 nucs I got this year are doing well, too.  I've got extra supers on every hive.   This is an amazing season.  The bees are doing things I've only read about and I'm getting a lot of new experience.    Makes me very happy that I study this forum every single day.   I'm a bit more prepared for what I see and making fewer mistakes because of what I read here.     You guys are great mentors. 

[GSF]

I've said many a time this forum board was/is my mentor. Without the advice I received here I probably would have gave up on bees - or they would have gave up on me.