>
> >As I am sure you know we have tested virtually all the pollens we are
>> likely to come across.  I think that it has proved to be a valuable tool.
>
>
Something interesting Geoff, is that when I visited New Zealand recently,
they had compiled a list of pollen-producing trees to plant for bee forage,
based largely upon the Australian recommendation of protein content--they
excluded any pollens that were below 20 or 25% protein (can't remember the
exact figure).

Several beekeepers protested that the list excluded some pollen sources
that were well-known to be excellent for colony buildup.  The point was
that protein content alone was not necessarily the best indicator for how
nutritious a pollen was.

What I'm trying to get at, is that pollen analysis is a great tool, but the
bottom line is that bee nutritional needs are still not completely
understood, and that we must be careful in concluding the degree of
nutritional value for any specific pollen.

Randy Oliver

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