> Another interesting topic was Honey Bee Supplemental Nutrition . A panel 
> of commercial beekeepers told us what they are feeding their bees and took 
> questions from the audience. I learned Soya flour is toxic to bees and 
> should not be fed. I have set out Soya flour for years to distract bees 
> from grain bins in the spring. So I guess I need to switch to something 
> else.

I doubt you need to stop using soy.  Soy is a low-cost, high-quality bee 
feed.

If you sourced your soy flour through a reputable bee supply, it will be if 
a type which will be beneficial, not harmful to bees.

The claim that soy is harmful is based, like many misunderstandings and 
oversimplifications, on a truth.  The truth is that RAW soy contains 
'trypsin inhibitors' which interfere with digestion enzymes in many animals, 
and in people for that matter.

These inhibiters are easily reduced to low levels by toasting the soy, and 
this simple heat treatment renders soy digestible to bees.  Actual field 
test demonstrate the benefits of soy over an over.  I have not seen anything 
to indicate any negative effects, although some speculate, with no proof.

I was at the same presentation and found it quite interesting, but was not 
convinced that all the speakers always knew what they were talking about 
except where they reported what worked for them.

Last time I looked at it, The Hive and the Honey Bee recommended soy, among 
other products.

I have personally compared the amino acid profile of soy to the known 
essential amino acid requirements of bees and there is about as good a match 
as one could hope for.

> The thing that struck me about this talk is that some beekeepers who 
> pollinate now have to feed their bees pollen supplement every month of the 
> year to keep them healthy. Our agricultural system has progressed so that 
> bees can no longer find enough good food for themselves. At least I think 
> that’s progress.

Some are just catching on to that fact, and it seems that the need is not 
just in pollination.  Inspecting in southern Alberta this fall, I saw only 
two colours of pollen in the hives.

Monoculture is starving our bees. 

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