Does pollen coming in mean there is a laying queen?

[twb]

It has been too cold of late to pull frames so I content myself with watching the entrances.  When I see pollen coming in I am pleased, thinking I have a laying queen.  Is that true, say, 90% of the time?

[Michael Bush]

I've seen a hives hauling pollen like there was no tomorrow and they were queenless.  I don't believe it means much.  It seems like queenless hives go off in unpredictable ways.  They either get lethargic and do nothing or they work their tails off as if it will help.  They are either docile or they are hot.  It's hard to predict by that just what is going on without actually checking for eggs and brood.

[JP]

I've done my share of removals on newly established colonies that had nectar and beebread but the queen hadn't started laying yet, like the one I did today in fact. Bees bringing in pollen is not a dead give away that you have a laying queen.


...JP

[limyw]

Queenless hive needs pollen too because it still has open broods and newly emerge bees, both require pollen as food. When hive is queenless or queen stop laying, more likely it will not build new comb.