Do Bees Need Fiber?
Today was the warmest day we’ve had in quite some time, reaching the mid 50′s. All the hives were very active and there was more activity at the open fed pollen than I have seen so far this season. Apparently there was too much traffic at the bucket to satisfy some bees, so several hundred were working over the fresh pile of sawdust composting in the garden. Bees are know to work bird feeders and animal feed for the dust that collects there, but this was the first time I’ve seen any significant number working on sawdust. I’m not sure what value they can see in it. Shortly after adding a second bucket of open fed pollen substitute an placing additional substitute on the bucket lids, more than half the bees abandoned the sawdust pile in favor of the substitute. I saw a few bees nosing around the maple trees, but no significant pollen is coming in from them still.
It’s been in the mid 40′s and still below the average for this time of year for several days and we even received a light dusting of snow last night. Still the bees have been active almost every day when it’s sunny and breaks 40 degrees. I’m actually rather surprised by how active they are given the temperature. While my father reported the bees at his house have been working the early blooming bulbs, there is not yet any significant pollen source for them to work and they continue to fee on the
We have had some weather in the mid 40′s to 50′s in the past week, plenty warm enough for bees to fly on most days. I have yet to see any real pollen coming in, and the activity at the pollen bucket pretty much confirms my observation. When it got into the 50′s the bucket of pollen substitute looked like a swarm of black and white bees covered with pollen.
bees. It was too cold to consider pulling frames a checking brood, but judging by a peak between frames and the warmth coming from the hives, they have started raising brood already. It’s like night and day compared to last year where I could count the strong hives on my fingers.

Snow was still on the ground today with temperatures only reaching 35F. It was sunny and calm so some bees took the chance to make cleansing flights in spite of the temperature. Some unfortunately didn’t make it back to the hive and died in the snow. The sight of dead bees in the snow around the hive and on the landing board can be worrying to the new beekeeper. They aren’t suppose to be flying when its near or below freezing, right?

Lima, OH