New bees orienting already?

[David LaFerney]

Prettiest day so far this year - Feb 20 - mid 50s, sunny.  Lots of activity, some pale yellow pollen coming in (elm?) - and it looks to me like orientation flights.  Quite a lot of tiny little girls climbing out and flying about - about 1/2 the size of the old girls.  New bees, am I Right?

Don't you love spring?

[Kathyp]

new bees going out.  remember, the newest bees stay home and take care of things.  i have them going on here also.  i know that my observation hive queen is laying, numbers are increasing, and they are bringing in pollen.  i have not gotten into the outside hives  yet, but they are bringing in pollen and there are orientation flights on the warm afternoons. 

[Finski]

.  Quite a lot of tiny little girls climbing out and flying about - about 1/2 the size of the old girls.  New bees, am I Right?

Bees  are all same size. Never 1/2 size. New bees are often full of feces when they come out.

You really have war there http://www.wunderground.com/US/TN/Cookeville.html

Last night we had in Helsinki - 20C and  500 kg to north east they had -40C.

[David LaFerney]

.  Quite a lot of tiny little girls climbing out and flying about - about 1/2 the size of the old girls.  New bees, am I Right?

Bees  are all same size. Never 1/2 size. New bees are often full of feces when they come out.

You really have war there http://www.wunderground.com/US/TN/Cookeville.html

Last night we had in Helsinki - 20C and  500 kg to north east they had -40C.

You're right I went and looked again - they aren't 1/2 size, but considerably smaller than the largest ones.  Really.   

And, yes it's warm here today.   Still a bit of snow in the shady spots, but it's really nice.

[David LaFerney]

new bees going out.  remember, the newest bees stay home and take care of things.  i have them going on here also.  i know that my observation hive queen is laying, numbers are increasing, and they are bringing in pollen.  i have not gotten into the outside hives  yet, but they are bringing in pollen and there are orientation flights on the warm afternoons. 

Of course you're correct - newly emerged bees aren't flying out today.  I read on M. Bush's site that they raise little batches of brood all winter long, and if that is right I thought that might be what I'm seeing - bees that are just leaving the hive today.   Do experienced field bees orient?  I thought orientation flights were primarily new field bees unless you move the hive or something.  Wrong?

[Kathyp]

yes, new field bees.  i don't know that all hives raise brood in the winter.  i know my observation hive was totally broodless until the weather changed and the days started getting longer.  the last bees hatched live through the winter and have not gone out until now except maybe cleansing flights.  those will begin dying off, but they hold the fort until the new ones are ready to pitch in.