-- Peter de Bruyn Kops <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
I find it difficult to explain the quick response
(increased brood rearing) when natural pollen collection starts in the
spring.  It is my understanding that fermenting pollen into bee bread takes multiple days.

>>>i can't say that i know how long it takes for pollen to ferment into beebread, but i can tell you that in addition to the sources we have cited already, you might want to read jerry hayes' "the classroom" column in the April 2008 American Bee Journal.  in response to a letter from dave mendes, jerry cites the same kind of data that we are presenting (that pollen is undigestable by bees until it is fermented into beebread).  i certainly haven't seen anything that implies that bees can digest unfermented pollen...but would love to read some more data on the subject.


It is also possible that some such yeasts operate in the bee gut and can do their work in a few hours.

>>>yes, it is possible, but i have not seen any evidence of this.  additionally, if what you posit above is true, it still may be the case that treatments affect those gut microorganisms.


Nothing quite like fresh comb to improve brood health.

>>>if in other years we were wintering on old comb, i would have mentioned it.

>>>deknow

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