Hi Allen and All:
 
Did you ever find that consumption of your pollen substitute increased?  I
think that without real pollen mixed in the bees need something to help get
them going.  I find that a few drops of fennel oil works very well.  I also
usually find that if they are bringing in dry pollen substitute powder that
they will accept the patties better.  This year spring was so delayed that I
had to feed the patties first.  We have just had our first flying days now.
 
I have a barrel of syrup out and pollen substitute powder beside it.  There
were more bees today in the powder than taking syrup.
 
>When can I quit giving them patties?  Do I just put them on til the bees
>refuse to eat them (seems wasteful)?  Or will they eat it from time to
>time right thru the spring if I leave it on?
 
I always find (and this year so far is no exception) that the weaker hives
do not use the patties well.  Sometimes I switch them to the stronger ones.
Once natural pollen is available none of the hives will touch the patties,
even if there is poor flying weather.  This year the first pollen is going
to be VERY late.
There IS waste at the end, but I haven't figured out any use for it, and you
might as well get it out of the hive because once the wax paper is chewed it
goes like cement and is a nuisance to scrape.
 
Despite the waste I am firmly convinced it is a great boost for them and
seeing them prefer it to syrup today confirms this for me.  I would only
feed it dry if we could be more sure of flying weather but we don't seem to
be getting much of that.
 
The meat grinder made an excellent smooth paste and there has been nothing
left at all on the stronger hives that are really going at their patties.
 
Regards, Stan