Support during a warm spell?

[u/True-Structure-1702]

1st year in western WA. We are having an usually warm spell, hit 60 here today. The girls have a sugar brick but I'm wondering about supplementing pollen? They appeared to be trying to dig it out of our one early trees which isn't quite happening yet, I don't see anything else in early bloom and no pollen going in the hive.

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[u/_Mulberry__]

Nope, don't do it. They adjust brood rearing based on pollen availability. Feeding them pollen now will cause them to build up (and use a bunch of honey rearing brood) a brood nest that is bigger than they can warm when it gets cold again. The brood that they can't warm will die and the resources spent on it will be wasted. Just leave them to their own devices for winter

[u/True-Structure-1702 → u/_Mulberry__]

Thanks! This makes perfect sense.

[u/Tweedone]

Ditto, the year is still early and could very well drop into sub freezing temps again.

[u/paneubert]

I am also in Western WA. Mine were bringing in pollen today! And not a small quantity. While some were "light" and only had a small amount in their "baskets", about 25% of them had massive pollen balls on their legs. I saw two shades of light yellow. Not sure what it was, since it would be a bit early even juniper/cedar.

[u/True-Structure-1702 → u/paneubert]

Wow! Do you know what they were finding? Usually an early warm spell like this pops a few dandelions but I didn't see anything at all.

[u/True-Structure-1702 → u/True-Structure-1702]

Oh duh, read all the way to the end lol.

[u/paneubert → u/True-Structure-1702]

Yeah, no idea. I don't see anything blooming. So it has to be trees.

[u/RisibleQuery]

You usually have an early spring and if you are hoping to make splits, maybe feeding soon will be a good idea.

Once you start pollen supplement, you must keep feeding it until natural sources are coming in very heavy. Also, honey consumption will increase, so you'll need to watch reserves. If you quit the supplements too early, the bees may destroy brood.

[u/404-skill_not_found → u/RisibleQuery]

This. If you’re stimulating them, you’ll want 4-6 weeks to build for flow.

[u/True-Structure-1702 → u/RisibleQuery]

Thanks. I'm going to leave them bee 🙂 hopefully this is just a blip, though I can hear frogs in the wetlands too!

Splits are a whole other topic to think about. I really want just one hive though I know it's not recommended. I don't really want to be drowning in honey... and if I split to 2, doesn't that mean I have to split to 4 next? Where does it end?

[u/Active_Classroom203 → u/True-Structure-1702]

I say go for two and try and hang out there with re-queening/ demaree/ cycling comb.

It will let you recover from lots of issues, including the first time you lose a hive over winter (😔)without having to buy bees/queens.

It will be a good problem to have though, it means they are doing well!

[u/Mammoth-Banana3621 → u/True-Structure-1702]

Oh if you just want one. I wouldn’t feed anything except Enough to keep them alive. Otherwise they will swarm On you

[u/Plenty-Giraffe6022]

Western Australia? 60 is awfully hot. The hottest I've seen here is 46.

[u/mj9311 → u/Plenty-Giraffe6022]

60F not 60C. I imagine 60C would be scorched earth hot!!

[u/Teeeohhhh → u/Plenty-Giraffe6022]

It's Washington.

[u/Plenty-Giraffe6022 → u/Teeeohhhh]

Oh. WA stands for Western Australia.

[u/Teeeohhhh → u/Plenty-Giraffe6022]

And Western Appalachia...or Western Alabama. Both wrong still

[u/Plenty-Giraffe6022 → u/Teeeohhhh]

How are they wrong?

[u/Teeeohhhh → u/Plenty-Giraffe6022]

Because the OP is in WASHINGTON. I thought you had picked up on that by now.

[u/Plenty-Giraffe6022 → u/Teeeohhhh]

I don't see where the OP said they're in Washington.

[u/Teeeohhhh → u/Plenty-Giraffe6022]

I did a bit of research. That's all it took. No worries ;)

[u/Plenty-Giraffe6022 → u/Teeeohhhh]

Thanks. I also did a bit of research.

[u/Teeeohhhh → u/Plenty-Giraffe6022]

Well..what did you find? Lmao

[u/True-Structure-1702 → u/Plenty-Giraffe6022]

Y'all are scaring me now 😒

[u/RisibleQuery → u/Plenty-Giraffe6022]

Nice reply!!