<[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> I am increasingly convinced that we have been experiencing a slow but
> steady decrease in the quality of pollen available to our bees over recent
> decades.
>

Allen, see my upcoming article in ABJ.   As atmospheric CO2 levels increase,
the protein content of plant matter decreases.  Plant-eating insects are
forced to consume more plant leaf weight in order to obtain the same amount
of protein.  I have not been able to find data about any changing protein
content of pollen, but would strongly suspect that it would follow that of
the rest of the plant.  Could help to explain the common observation that
bees are not getting as much nutrition these days as they did in the past.

>
> >As the season ended, I became increasingly impressed by the performance of
> my splits which consumed Global's 15% pollen patties at rate of about a
> pound a week all summer and went from walk-away splits (twice since May) and
> are now as high as six boxes.
>

This is a common observation now among commercial beeks.  Colonies really
respond to major pollen supplement feeding.  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.

>
> >I'm wondering how much feeding protein compensates for other factors like
> mite predation.
>

Dr Frank Eischen's recent work strongly suggests that nutrition very much
compensates for parasite stress.

>
> >I'm also wondering if the reason that protein feeding has seemed to be
> beneficial against nosema according to some reports could be that the
> digestion of the protein supplements (especially for bees with
> nosema-damaged guts) is easier than the digestion of pollen, which is known
> to have a tough covering.
>

Don't know about that, but some gut parasites may target the brewers yeast
cell proteins rather than the same or similar bee gut proteins, and thus
decrease parasite infection.  The protein in pollen supp may also simply
increase the total protein available, so that the bees get more protein
despite nosema infection.

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.

Randy Oliver

             ***********************************************
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