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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

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Subject:
From:
Peter Detchon <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Sat, 12 Mar 2011 13:20:52 +0800
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>I used to trap pollen but had too  many problems with chalk brood.

Andrew,

Not sure if this implies that you used to feed back pollen under these 
circumstances but now don't have it, and so are considering FeedBee as an 
alternative?
When conditions go off, I am certainly able to keep drones production going 
using a pollen substitute that I make myself. However I cannot initiate 
drone production using this alone, even though it will quite happily 
initiate worker brood production. So as Randy says, some fresh pollen coming 
into the hive, even if only a little, is a key component in  stimulating the 
bees to start drones production under conditions where they wouldn't 
normally do so.

I am very happy with the quality of the bees I raise using this pollen 
substitute and have seen no problems with queens mated to drones produced 
this way.
Haven't tried FeedBee so can offer nothing in that regard.

One other point from your post...chalkbrood in the pollen. Its easily 
removed if you screen the pollen before drying, but very difficult once its 
all dried.
Anyway, if you run hygienic bees, there will be no chalkbrood! Thats not so 
hard to do, you should try it.

PeterD
in south west Western Australia where the drought just keeps on keeping on.

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