Dry Protein
In our research colonies, we've tried various pollen substitutes and
approaches. I don't much like patties, they often mold on top of the frames.
Many of our large migratory beekeepers feed it dry in external feeders. I
once had a greenhouse trial where bees from nucs were free to fly indoors.
We set out pollen substitute as a dry powder in dishes, and used a knife
to level off the pollen sub so as to have the 'same' amount in each dish.
NADA, bees wouldn't touch it.
So, I asked Lance Sundberg from Columbus how he fed his bees in stockpile
yards in CA. He said he just poured it on the ground, bees would dive in
to it.
So, we went back to the greenhouse, poured the dry sub in a heap on the
dishes, and bees started diving in to it, rolling, then combing back and
taking it home.
Some time later, I thanked Lance for the tip - why the bees liked it in
piles, but wouldn't touch the neat leveled off sub is still a mystery.
Lance said he was surprised that it worked at all - I didn't have a
tumbleweed. Knowing Lance, I thought he was pulling my leg. But he was serious.
After he pours the substitute on the ground, he goes to the fence row,
grabs some dry tumble weeds, and sticks them in the piles. The bees dive in
to the piles, roll around, then climb up on the weeds. They then sit on
the tumbleweed, comb back the pollen in to the pollen baskets, then launch to
fly home.
For trials in which we have to feed in side the hive, we've gone to a sheet
of wax paper on the top bars of the brood nest, then pour on the dry
pollen.
We usually get 100% consumption, unless we've a very weak hive. Bees
easily consume a pound per week. None of the molding patty problems. If a
colony does not take its dry pollen sub, the sub may harden, and then they
won't be able to use it.
Jerry
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