At 12:36 PM 1/5/98 -0600, Allen Dick wrote:
 
Hi Allen,
 
>> ... we just stuck half a pound or so of the stuff in upturned hive
>> lids, although any kind of shallow box would do. They cleared up the lot
>> in a few hours. We then did the same each morning for the next couple of
>> weeks if the weather was fine, and it was fascinating to see these dust
>> covered bees with their pollen baskets full to overload scuttling back
>> and forward to the hives. As it was the same flour we used in our pollen
>> substitute patties I reckoned it would probably do them good.
 
Or they wasted a lot of time and wore themselves out working?  I have yet to rear a frame of brood from soyflower of any type ALONE, here in central California, but would be interested if others have without benefit of pollen or other proteins. If it can be done you should be able to do it with several pounds of bees and a queen without benefit of flight. I tried and could do very well with pollen, and yeasts alone, but nothing with soyflower. I have tried dozens of different types of proteins all that bees would at least move around including dried blood, and some high priced food additives. Only the yeasts had any value as far a brood rearing in confinement without benefit of natural pollen or flight.
 
I can tell you that bees here will gather it like you show in your pictures, but at the same time I have seen, and at one time had pictures, of bees doing the same with dusting sulfur which no one would claim was beneficial to bees. I believe that bees will search out during the broodless cycle almost anything of the right micron size and pack it in their pollen baskets and bring it back to the hive including some not so attractive materials.
 
I must also admit it is fun to watch bees gather soyflower and I have spend many hours doing just that and following it in the hive.
 
 http://www.internode.net/Honeybee/unwrap.htm
 
>for some pictures of this happening.  Be prepared for some slow loading,
>since htere are a number of large images on the age.
 
Worked good for me, really enjoy this type of beekeeping Internet site, good effort.
 
ttul, the OLd Drone
 
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