> We are talking big bucks. If beeks were not seeing results do you really think they would be spending the money?

Why would beeks spend money on pollen supplements if they don't work? Lots of reasons. One, given to me by my mentor, who has run thousands of hives since the 1960s: it's insurance. Like insurance, you may never need it, but you are afraid not to buy it -- just in case you're wrong.

Two, this is America. Everything is fat; the livestock, the people. Why should the bees be any different? Shove food at them and maybe they'll fatten up in time for the almonds. Except, if Mattila & Otis are right, this may be short term boost but cause then to crash later. Ever heard of bees tanking after they get to the almonds? I sure have.

Americans spend billions of dollars on things that are useless. The fact that people buy stuff is hardly proof it works. If a beekeeper feeds all his hives, there's nothing to compare it with. 

> Mattila & Otis are talking to their *peer* audience as we see the results and could care less their opinion

Very interesting. Gard Otis is pretty well respected throughout Canada, and the world. His protege, Heather Mattila, has her own dept at Wellesley College, after studying for years with Tom Seeley. These people are not dumbkins working in some backwater. 

These people actually did the work of showing what the effect fall feeding, not feeding, and actually reducing pollen intake (with pollen traps). They did a lot more close inspection than most beekeepers EVER do. 

Most of the important work done in bee biology has been done by researchers. Farrar practically wrote the book on honey bee wintering. Of course, a lot of beekeepers don't try to winter their bees any more, preferring to haul them down to pesticide heaven (Florida) or stick them in holding yards and shove protein patties at them. 

PLB

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