From: "Joe Miller (Bethel NC USA " I was really hoping for some takers on this one. Isn't brewer's yeast a key part of pollen substitute?" I know I am taking us sideways ...but I have always believed (corerction will follow) that pollen substitutes need a proportion of real pollen to be effective. Can I ask therefore, if you are a regular or prospective user of pollen subs, do you already trap real pollen for feeding back next spring? If so, could you collect just a bit more and so avoid need to try to concoct some artificial feed that will just do? I have read that bees can collect the same weight of pollen as of honey in a season - and if you have flowering plants giving nectar, u must have pollen sources. Just asking , as in UK bees store adequate pollen under honey in the brood nest (provided of course colonies are left their full set of brood combs unextracted) and artificial feeds here are generally just extra work for nothing. Artificial pollen feeding would also introduce another dependency that the beekeeper could misjudge and so hurt rather than help the colonies. But I do realise that colonies have different needs where the climate is more severe - or where there is a shortage of autumn pollen. Robin Dartington :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::