Leaving aside the debate over whether various pollens are declining in nutritional value due to environmental changes, one thing that intrigued me was the side discussion of the relative values of pollen and beebread.

From what I have gleaned here and elsewhere, the following points have been stipulated:

•	Foragers do not choose between available pollens based on nutritional value, but bring in such low-nutrient substances as corn pollen, birdseed and even sawdust.
•	It’s not just the percentage of protein, but also the amino acid profile that is important.
•	Nurse bees cannot tell the difference in nutritional value between the different pollens they are consuming for brood food.
•	Stored pollen loses nutritional value as it ferments.
•	Nurse bees prefer fresh pollen over stored beebread.

So, I have the following questions:

•	Is a fresh, low-nutrient pollen like corn of higher value than a higher-nutrient pollen like almond that is months-old? Or is the amino acid mix more important than the age?
•	Do nurse bees prefer fresh, low-value pollen over stored, high-value pollen?
•	Is pollen substitute of higher or lower value than high-nutrient pollen that has been overwintered as beebread?
•	Do nurse bees prefer real, stored pollen or fresh pollen substitute?

Eugene Makovec
Missouri USA


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