After two weeks out of the country, I had a chance yesterday to check in on the girls and see how they are doing. I had added an empty super to the hive before we left to be on the safe side. There was some comb drawn out but nothing significant. Everything else looked pretty normal but I did notice a huge increase in the amount of pollen being stored.
Unlike the pollen in the spring and early summer, this pollen is very white. I’d be interested to know what plants are in bloom right now that has white pollen. Austin did have a massive amount of rain last week, so I’m wondering if all the rain lilies are the source of this pollen. My only concern is that they seem to be using cells formally for brood to store this pollen in. There was also a reduction in the number of queen cells as well which is a good sign. At the end of the day, I just have to trust that they know best.
Urban Beekeeping in Austin, Texas 