>No pollen substitute has been found which adequately mimics or replaces
pollen as a food for bees, nor could it.

That's a pretty strong statement, Pete : )
Are you truly trying to say that an artificial diet is impossible?  For
many other species of animals, one can easily purchase artificial diets
that will promote an indefinite number of generations.  For example, for
the lab mice that you raise in your work.

>Pollen is a complex and unique form of food, containing as it does, the
components to fertilize and propagate the plant species.

Pollen does not need to contain the components to "fertilize" (in the
nutritional sense) the plant species--it only needs to transmit a germ cell
that has the ability to initiate the growth of a pollen tube.  The
recipient female plant supplies the nutrients for the growth of the tube.

-- 
Randy Oliver
Grass Valley, CA
www.ScientificBeekeeping.com

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