> Allen, see my upcoming article in ABJ. As atmospheric CO2 levels
> increase, the protein content of plant matter decreases.
Well, I am a doubter when it comes to any CO2 story, but would be interested
to know what percentage changes are observed and how they are observed.
Much of the 'research' related to global warming is being found to be more
political than scientific.
Perhaps that effect is significant. I don't know, but I don't need a CO2
explanation when I look around and see all the farmland groomed fence to
fence and fallow no longer in evidence. Fallow used to be 50% of farmland
around here, and now there is zero, except for the occasional chemically
fallowed field. Where the farmland ends, urban areas begin, with chemical
sprays much in evidence. There are still the valleys and pasture, but many
years, they are overgrazed, and when they are not, the plants are
recovering.
> This is a common observation now among commercial beeks. Colonies really
> respond to major pollen supplement feeding.
Beekeepers usually assume that feeding should only be done when a shortage
is in evidence.
What amazed me was that these bees were on a great flow. They produced
almost 90 lbs in a month and during that time still ate the supplement at a
good rate.
I'm thinking that all our summer pollen is deficient, since there is no tree
pollen after June. Coincidentally, that is usually when our build-up tapers
off, and late splits usually do not winter well. I guess I'm going to find
out when I winter these.
> I hit a yard of hungry bees a few weeks ago--they ate the first 3 lb
> patty in a week! I'm currently building up a yard of 72 singles for a
> winter trial, by supplemental feeding. Virtually no natural feed around
> for the past two months. The broodnests look like colonies in early
> spring--lots of young larvae
> "swimmin' in jelly." This is in dry Calif, where we have no rain, and no
> fall asters or goldenrod.
Exactly. One thing I keep telling people who think that patty feeding
stimulates brood rearing is that maybe, sometimes, it does, BUT the big
effect they see is that the bees don't tear out or give up on what they
already have overnight or during windy or rainy spells. The result (Duh) is
more sealed brood, but the conclusion that it is primarily due to
stimulation -- in my mind -- is questionable. People see what they want to
see, and they have stimulation on their mind, not the effects of good
development, sound health and continuous and complete nutrition.
> I'm not sure whether the tough covering of pollen (the exine) is an issue,
> since bees don't try to digest it--they apparently gain access to the
> protein via the germination pore, so the digestion may be more enzymatic
> than via physical rupturing.
Understood, but in the case of severe gut damage from nosema, does that
mechanism function?
***********************************************
The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html
Access BEE-L directly at:
http://community.lsoft.com/scripts/wa-LSOFTDONATIONS.exe?A0=BEE-L
|