Walter Weller wrote:
> Depending on circumstances, I have seen bees load up with powdered 
> kaolinite (porcelain clay) at a paper mill as if it were pollen.  I 
> hope I never get that hungry.
>

I don't believe it has anything to do with being hungry, we have seen it 
here often in the spring, where bees will collect, coal dust, wood saw 
dust, dust, chop feed, anything that has a consistency close to pollen. 
It obviously has no
nutritive value, but when they are actively looking for pollen, they 
seem quite happy to collect anything with a similar texture. If natural 
pollen is unavailable.
Tim Townsend

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