pollen in broodnest question... how much is too much?

[Maggiesdad]

I know the dangers of the brood nest being back filled with honey, but how does one judge too much pollen?
The lit talks about a band of pollen under the honey band, but this seems a bit more than a band. and it's typical of nine combs, both sides.  Plus 3 honey combs started, two pound package hived March 27th.

[BeeMaster2]

Maggiesdad,
That looks like winter storage that has not been used up yet. It looks like you have a good brood pattern around the pollen. You could add a bar between the frames and let them build a new frame to fill with brood. The pollen looks like it is is well preserved I would expect the will quickly use up the pollen and free it up for brood.
Jim

[Maggiesdad]

These are combs drawn this year... so fresh comb, fresh pollen. I did space in four blank bars. The nights are warmer and they've been starting to beard on the more humid evenings.

[BeeMaster2]

That is interesting. Sounds like a good candidate for a pollen trap if you could add one to a TBH.
Did you put any of the bars between the drawn frames?
Jim

[duryeafarms]

I see a good bit of empty comb (unless there is uncapped brood in those cells). If that is typical of the other brood combs I wouldn't worry about it. Are you feeding them? If you have 12 bars built there's still lots of room for new comb. They need feed to build it.

[Maggiesdad]

I pulled the feeder when the poplars opened. The ants were looking to be a nuisance. 

Yes the blanks were in between some of the oldest combs.

So, keep on feeding them as long as they'll draw?

[Maggiesdad]

Here's a blow up of the lower right corner... there's a coupla rows of brood an a slew of eggs down there.



Why is the initial comb when you hive them snow white, but the new comb they are drawing now is yellow?

[Rurification]

They're tracking in a lot of pollen now, and the pollen makes it yellow. 

[duryeafarms]

Keep feeding until they stop taking it. You'll need to figure out the ant issue whether you are feeding or not. They're going to come for the honey too. Tanglefoot solved my problem.

[CaseyT]

Why is the initial comb when you hive them snow white, but the new comb they are drawing now is yellow?

As Robin mentioned, pollen will yellow the comb.  Additionally, honey will also stain the comb the color of the honey/nectar.  So if you have an exotic nectar source that is prevalent enough, you can end up with some very divergent colors in your comb!  Brood is what stains the comb a dark, dark brown.

[OldMech]

Keep feeding until they stop taking it.

   I read that everywhere, and it is very misleading, and can lead to an empty hive.  My bees NEVER stop taking syrup, they will fill every corner, every crevice, every cell with it, and leave no space for the queen to lay, right to the point they move out.
   I have learned to feed slower... I use jars over the inner cover with only three tiny holes...  so they GET syrup when they need it, but they dont get enough to backfill the brood nest.
   Bottom line.. keep an eye on them to make sure it doesnt happen.. if they are filling the brood chamber, stop feeding for a few days.    K, back to the regularly scheduled thread...

[Maggiesdad]

Thanks, OldMech!  I will watch them. That particular colony is in a 2' "pollination" TBH, and they are booming. They were drawn to within two bars of the end, so Fri nite I pulled the queen and two bars to another box. There was fresh drawn comb with eggs, in the classic Miller shape, that I'll be watching to see if they draw queen cells. We have moderate flow here til the 4th of July, so I figgered what the heck, might as well get my feet wet!

[Guadamo]

Since pollen is so essential to brood rearing I would think I wouldn't worry about it , let bees be bees , they know what they need, the more pollen the healthier the hive, it's more important than honey or sugar to the well being of the hive..

[Maggiesdad]

They were in a short hive, so rather than move them -  I let them raise some queens.