Mary, in CT, asked two good questions:
1.  "When does one go about ordering a new queen to have it for spring? Do
you have to order month's in advance?"

Spring, around here near Albany NY, is considered to be from April-June.
The breeder I deal with is sold out until April 20, and I suspect others are
as well.  However, if you want a queen in May or June it is just a question
of picking up the phone and it will go out the next day!

I don't know where in CT you are, but if you are Hartford or North/Northeast
of there you are welcome to get in on our club's order, if you like.  Queens
arrive April 17.  Contact me personally if you are interested.

2.  "Aren't you just taking the pollen from them to give it back later? Why
not just let them store it away for later themselves?"

A few thoughts:

A.  If you are establishing a new hive or new nuc, a pollen patty is one of
the best things you can provide.  In some conditions it might be
irresponsible to not provide extra pollen.  Getting that pollen from an
existing hive is one of the best and safest things to do.

B.  Like some other forms of concentrated protein, the nutrient content of
pollen can quickly decline.  Bees always prefer fresh pollen to that they
have stored over the winter, but pollen stored over the winter is far better
than no pollen at all.  One of the best ways to stimulate a hive to start
early brood is to feed it pollen about a month before the natural flow.  In
your case, this may be feeding in February.  A reason for doing so would be
to make strong splits in the spring.  These strong splits could be used for
comb honey production, or just for another hive.  Regardless, you could
expect to take those splits with no decrease in honey production from the
parent hive!

C.  Pollen, like honey, is one of the best tasting food there is!  Providing
it is fresh pollen, especially when taken from ones own hives.

I hope other also respond to your questions, as they were excellent.


Lloyd
Lloyd Spear, Owner of Ross Rounds, manufacturer of comb honey equipment
for beekeepers and Sundance pollen traps.
http://www.rossrounds.com
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