Birdseed???

[reinbeau]

I've just noticed the strangest thing.  We were clearing out the dead bees from the hives, and I noticed what looked like seeds in some of the cells - when I looked closer I realized they looked like millet seeds!  There are tons of them in the cells, and more on the bottom board.  Whatever it is looks just like white millet seeds.  Does anyone know what they are - or are they really millet seeds, and in that case, bees collect seeds?  :?

[wayne]

Sounds like pollen pellets.

[reinbeau]

Hard with a seed coat?

[Michael Bush]

>Hard with a seed coat?

When there is a pollen dearth they collect a lot of odd things.

[reinbeau]

Michael, are you saying it's possible they brought these seeds into the hive and stored them in cells?  Many are in uncapped honey cells.  I'm sure there are more in the capped cells.

[Michael Bush]

>Michael, are you saying it's possible they brought these seeds into the hive and stored them in cells?

I'm sure it wasn't the mice.  Yes, they brought them back and stored them in cells.  They clean up the grain dust from my chicken feed all the time.  I'm sure it's undigestable to the bees.