Welcome, Guest

Author Topic: Pollen Feed discussion  (Read 5501 times)

Offline rdy-b

  • Super Bee
  • *****
  • Posts: 2286
Re: Pollen Feed discussion
« Reply #20 on: November 22, 2009, 01:32:37 am »
wheres the AFB coming from -the pollen is not taken out of the hive it is trapped and gathered before entering the colony -it is trapped at the entrance of the hive -cant see it being exposed to AFB spores-they are in the hive and at the most extreme inside the bees gut-the big worry about the pollen is the amount of pesticide that AG is using -systemic-and residue- nobody can be certain about large or even small quantities of pollen being chem free-or the nutritional value- seams to vary greatly with environmental conditions shuch as drought- for the big suppliers it is just unpredictable what the source is exposed to -not to mention country of origin-RDY-B

Online Michael Bush

  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 19832
  • Gender: Male
    • bushfarms.com
Re: Pollen Feed discussion
« Reply #21 on: November 22, 2009, 11:58:27 am »
>Thoughts on using bought pollen for feeding and AFB?

I feed real pollen, often from other sources, and have never had AFB.  I'd say Chalkbrood is a bigger risk from feeding pollen collected from a bottom pollen trap.  A top pollen trap is much cleaner as debris falls down not up, but still if they are trying to haul the mummies out the top (as with a top trap) you could get pieces of chalkbrood mummies in the pollen.
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
-------------------
"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin

Offline alfred

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 420
  • Gender: Male
    • Alfred's Massage
Re: Pollen Feed discussion
« Reply #22 on: November 22, 2009, 06:07:17 pm »
Thanks for that. I have just heard so much that you don't want to use anything from unknown hive sources that I am paranoid about it. I guess that I will go ahead and order some from brushy mtn for  making patties.

Alfred

Offline gaucho10

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 335
  • Gender: Male
    • Bees, Bats and Beyond
Re: Pollen Feed discussion
« Reply #23 on: November 23, 2009, 01:28:48 am »
Just my two cents worth....In 30 yrs of beekeeping I never fed my bees pollen.  My bees came through the winter just fine.  Did I loose any part of a honey flow?  I don't know but I allways managed to have honey later on in the season.  Personally, I think it is just extra work.
My favorite comedy program used to be Glenn Beck--The only thing is that after I heard the same joke over and over again it became BOOOORING.....

People who have inspired me throughout my life---Pee-wee Herman, Adolph Hitler, George W. Bush, Glenn Beck.
Notice I did not say they were people who I admire !!!

 

anything