>  That was my impression, since fresh pollen in cells near brood 
> disappears quickly -- often overnight -- and it has been my 
> understanding that it takes time to produce bee bread.


I use fresh pollen in cell builders. You can fill a comb with pollen 
by working it into the comb with your fingers until well packed...you 
can pack two heaping double hands full into a comb. They certainly do 
eat it, and grow nice cells. I've noticed that after the cells have 
been removed from the builder, what pollen is left in the comb looks 
just like pollen stored by the bees. It's packed down and shiny on the surface. 

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