My bees definitely do gather of horse dung here if I fail to provide pollen
substitute, and that is how I know if they want any.  Should I approach
while they are gathering dung, they get very pesky and land all over me.  A
patty on the frame tops causes their return to the hive, restoring peace.
They are consuming prodigious amounts of pollen substitute, as they have for
well over a month.  They get most agitated with me should I let the cupboard
go bare of pollen substitute.  Should I remove dried out patty remains
without first replacing them (this gets clumsy), I am summarily stung, which
action otherwise is rare with my bees.  It is interesting to hear the hiss
of the colony arise upon removal and see the little rear ends go up into the
air, and to observe how all these signs to subside upon patty replacement,
should I thus "sin."  Apparently pollen is very important to the bees right
now.  I expect this situation immediately to cease when natural pollen
becomes available.

My ladies have, however, thus far refused to drink 1:1 syrup despite some
days in the high 50's F, which is troubling inasmuch as if the maple flow
starts here in central Maine, then the bees won't want their Fumidil syrup.
It is, however, necessary to assess the honey stores in the hive, on the one
hand to avoid starvation, but almost as important, to avoid so plugging the
brood nest with new stores that the queen has no place to lay.  This is a
tricky time of year, and careful attention is needed.

So far we are still 16 of 16 here, including the crazy Cordovans, who have
lived on artificial stores since just after Christmas.

Bill Morong