Do Workers Bring Pollen To a Queenless Hive?

[Ben Framed]

In your experience, does worker bees bring pollen to a queenless hive?

[van from Arkansas]

You bet they will.  I have seen several times.  One hive in particular last year came out of winter without a Queen.  I nursed that hive for weeks before I could requeen and yes, the bees brought in pollen and they were queenless for weeks.  I added brood to prevent a laying worker situation.  The hive survived and thrived after I requeened.

[Ben Framed]

Thanks Mr. Van. I think I have one :-)

[van from Arkansas]

You very welcome , Phil.

More details about the queenless hive:  I discovered my queenless hive, last year during first inspection on a rare warm day in February.  Obtaining queens in February is next to impossible.  In March, I was able to open hives again, provide nurse bees and eggs/larva to the queenless hive.  The bees made a queen and all was well.  Honey Pump help me with this hive, last year via this forum.  I don?t think I would have saved that queenless hive without the help from HP.  Just giving credit where credit is due.

Blessings

[CoolBees]

In your experience, does worker bees bring pollen to a queenless hive?

Just a follow-up echo - Yes. Van covered it.   

[Ben Framed]

Thanks fellows.  Yes Mr Van,  HP has helped me immensely also. As many of you have. I, as you , appreciate the whole beemaster family.

[TheHoneyPump]

In your experience, does worker bees bring pollen to a queenless hive?

Yes, I do see this. Though no where near as aggressively and prolifically as a hive that has a laying queen and the nest is brooding.  The difference is very noticeable when you have hives nearby to compare, same day same time.  If the hive is all alone, it may not be as apparent.

[Ben Framed]

Thanks Mr HP for the fine tuned answer, makes perfect sense.

[Oldbeavo]

If the hive is queenless then the bees tend to put pollen and honey all over the frames, leaving no space for a queen to lay.
Pollen and honey all over frames is usually a sign for us that the hive may be potentially queenless.
I don't think the bring in any more pollen, other than there are no larvae to feed so it builds up quickly.
When you add nuc to these  hives they tend to boom due to extra stores in the queenless frames.

[Ben Framed]

Thank you for the added, good information Oldbeavo. I will keep this in mind for the future.

[TheHoneyPump]

Where they put the pollen can be an indicator.  But not necessarily so.  I have some big hives right now in which the pollen is streaming in so fast and heavy they are packing sheet after sheet after sheet of pollen frames.  I am harvesting boxes full of pollen frames daily, haha, to use in nucs later.  The hives are definitely queenrite and the queens are definitely filling every hole she can find.  Good times, WaaaaYY! behind.  Gotta go, bye!

[Ben Framed]

Amazing! I can only imagine the excitement you are experiencing. Canada must be a Beekeepers Paradise! I would love to visit someday!

[Michael Bush]

In my experience, yes a queenless hive will gather pollen.  And since they aren't really using it, they often plug the entire brood nest up with it...

[O4L]

In my experience, yes a queenless hive will gather pollen.  And since they aren't really using it, they often plug the entire brood nest up with it...

Should a pollen trap be used if you know the hive is queenless until there is a new queen?

[Oldbeavo]

Your new queen will have unlimited space to lay and so there will be heaps of babies to use the pollen.
We never collect pollen and it doesn't matter how much they bring in, by the start of winter there is very little left.
They have used it to feed larvae.