> Alida Francisco Janmaat wrote:
> I bring this up because I would bet that much of the above problem
> could be traced to pollen contaminated with chalkbrood mummies, or
> at least the fungus spores rubbing off of them.  Even though I know
> that pollen is the best food, I only use artificial supplements now
> because of my fear of contaminated pollen.
 
I used "bee feed" grade pollen from northern B.C. one year in
supplement.  When it arrived, it was powered, rather than little
balls, and when I enquired, was told that it was ground up for mixing
into patties.
 
Well, I had the worst chalkbrood breakdown ever after that and it
took years to clear it up.  It is obvious in hindsight that I had
bought screenings that were high in chalkbrood mummies and dust from
them.  Research has shown repeatedly that grinding up mummies and
feeding them to bees will result in bad breakdown.
 
Using *selected* bee stock will reduce mummies on the bottom board.
I don't know fore sure if it means the bees just haul the larvae our
before they get to that state, or if there is real resistance.  I
suspect the latter, since the chalkbrood free stock usually appears
to have pretty solid brood patterns.
 
I'd only use cleaned human grade pollen from now on, and preferably
from my own hives.
 
FWIW
 
Regards
 
Allen
 
W. Allen Dick, Beekeeper                                         VE6CFK
RR#1, Swalwell, Alberta  Canada T0M 1Y0
Internet:[log in to unmask] & [log in to unmask]
Honey. Bees, & Art <http://www.internode.net/~allend/>