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Author Topic: collecting and storing pollen-possible source  (Read 5497 times)

Offline latebee

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collecting and storing pollen-possible source
« on: July 13, 2004, 11:11:44 pm »
hello,
       I was wondering if i could collect corn pollen to feed my bees for a spring buildup?
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Offline Robo

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collecting and storing pollen-possible source
« Reply #1 on: August 12, 2004, 09:21:02 am »
The best way to store pollen to feed back to the bees is to freeze it.
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Offline Finman

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Re: collecting and storing pollen-possible source
« Reply #2 on: August 13, 2004, 07:03:39 am »
Quote from: latebee
hello,
       I was wondering if i could collect corn pollen to feed my bees for a spring buildup?            
                                                     latewood23@hotmail.com


I have not collected my own pollen, but I use Estonian pollen very much. This summer I have bought 40 kilos just for spring buildup. In Estonia earnings level is 1/7 compared to Finland. And my own pollen will stay in hives.

From internet I learned that I can use soya flour and yeast with pollen. If you put over 20% pollen to mixture, it is palatable for bees.

I make dough  with dough machine.

3   kg dry pollen
0,7    litre water to soften pollen ower night
3   kg yeast
2   kg soya flour
1   kg heated honey (liguid)
1   kg flour sugar
___________________
10,7   total

28% pollen   

If dough is too wet, add soya flour and balance the mixture with it.

Then I roll the paste between two dough paper to  5-8 mm plate and give it to the top bars of frame.  During one week 2 super colony can eat 0,5-1 kg that dough. New born bees eat it very eargerly.

Near 20% pollen all colonies are not willing to eat dough.

Dough will be in condition at least 3 weeks in cold. The flour sugar add the content of sugar and stops yeast fermentation.

All thet stuff will transform to bees  :wink:

Offline Robo

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collecting and storing pollen-possible source
« Reply #3 on: August 13, 2004, 11:15:36 am »
Here is an interesting article on using vitamin-C as an attractant for pollen substitute.
http://wind.prohosting.com/tbhguy/bee/subs.htm

I haven't tried it yet, but have bought the vitamin-C to try this year.
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Offline Finman

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collecting and storing pollen-possible source
« Reply #4 on: August 13, 2004, 11:40:35 am »
Quote from: Robo
Here is an interesting article on using vitamin-C as an attractant for pollen substitute.



Yes, I read about vitamins from bee nutrition article. I crushed human multivitamin pill and mixced in the pollen cake. One pill/5 kg pollen.

A little bid afraid, how many "bee bodies" I will see in front of hive. Not at all!

Offline Robo

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collecting and storing pollen-possible source
« Reply #5 on: August 13, 2004, 11:46:21 am »
I appreciate your knowledge on the 20/28% "real" pollen.  

I must say, my success at pollen substitute has been very marginal to this point.  Perhaps this is why.

I will keep better track of the percent of pollen next time.
"Opportunity is missed by most people because it comes dressed in overalls and looks like work." - Thomas Edison



Offline Robo

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collecting and storing pollen-possible source
« Reply #6 on: August 13, 2004, 12:09:59 pm »
For those of us in the US wanting to try Finman's recipe,  I have "Americanized" it in Blue
These are approximate values to ease the measurments,  but should be close enough.

Finman, thanks for sharing your recipe.


Quote from: Finman
3 kg dry pollen (6.5 lbs)
0,7 litre water to soften pollen ower night (3 cups)
3 kg yeast (6.5 lbs)
2 kg soya flour (4.5 lbs soy flour)
1 kg heated honey (liguid) (2.25 lbs)
1 kg flour sugar (2.25 lbs powdered sugar)
___________________
10,7 total

28% pollen

If dough is too wet, add soya flour and balance the mixture with it.

Then I roll the paste between two dough paper (wax paper) to 5-8 mm plate (1/4" thick) and give it to the top bars of frame. During one week 2 super colony can eat 0,5-1 kg (~1 to 2 lbs) that dough. New born bees eat it very eargerly.
"Opportunity is missed by most people because it comes dressed in overalls and looks like work." - Thomas Edison



 

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