Is Pollen Necessary in a Protein Patty?

Yes -- and no.

We tried a range of protein patties this spring, starting application
earlier than other years, in mid-March.

Formulations included (by weight)

1.) 50 yeast, 50 soy, 8.5 pollen, 145 sugar, 53 water
2.) 72 yeast, 24 soy, 8.5 pollen, 145 sugar, 53 water
3.) 96 yeast,  8.5 pollen, 145 sugar, 53 water
and
4.) Some using BeePro in various ratios in place of other ingredients.

Each formula was tried with and without the (purchased) one-year-old air-
dried natural pollen from Northern Alberta.   We also made some patties
with 33% pollen for neighbours.  The water content and the soy contents
were varied slightly as the mixing progress proceeded to adjust
consistency.

This year, we made the patties stiff enough that, when dusted with soy
flour in packaging, they did not adhere to the waxed scale paper so much
that they would not release it when we put them into hives later.  As a
result, we could usually peel back the wax paper, and did not always have
to slit the paper to allow bees access.  This saved considerable time in
application.  I have heard no reports of patties getting too stiff in the
hives for the bees to eat them.  I attribute this to the high sugar
levels.

All patty formulations were accepted and consumed -- and continue to be
consumed -- well by all hives.   However -- so far -- our conclusions are
that the pollen added, even in small amounts, increases consumption up to
100%, particularly in smaller hives.  This confirms Mark's conclusions.

Further background details are still at http://www.internode.net/HoneyBee/
under the 'Pollen Patties' Link.

We will continue to make observations and report to this list.  Other
comments are appreciated, as always.

More later.

allen
http://www.internode.net/HoneyBee/