A note of warning about feeding pollen in protein mixtures--
I have found that some colonies chew chalkbrood mummies into small,
pollen-pellet like pieces which end up in the beekeeper-collected pollen. It
is advisable to examine pollen under a low grade magnification to check for
mummy pieces.
The BEST way I have found to infect a colony, especially in the spring, is to
feed pollen mixtures with chalk brood mummies or pieces incorporated in the
mixture.
To mimimize chalk brood hazard, collect pollen from your own colonies when
bees are not producing chalk brood, usually the summer. Avoid spring
collection.
Larry Connor
Wicwas Press
[log in to unmask]