Sharon. There are enormous amounts of posts on the pollen patty feeding. You need to look at them, take a few minutes to do this.
Spring build-up is the most important part of the year for the bees. This is when they have come out of the dormant state, whether it has been a couple of weeks or a couple of months. This is when they are brooding, big time. If you see the bees bringing in pollen (and also coming home what appears to be empty handed, that would be more than likely water), then they are brooding big time. The bees require pollen for muscle and buildup of the young bees bodies in so many ways. They mix pollen with honey, enzymes and water to feed the larvae. It is an important time of year for the bees.
Your bees may have pollen reserves and are collecting it, but that does not certainly mean that they have enough pollen stores. As Rdy-B said, it all depends on the area too.
I would strongly encourage you (and Annette too) to give the colonies some pollen patty, or any form of pollen substitute like the pollen patty to your bees. Michael also spoke of putting the pollen mash on the bottomboard too.
If the bees need that extra pollen to build up for spring and the heavy work that they are going to be performing, then the pollen is there for their use. If they don't require it, that is good, they have the option of not using the pollen patty or.
The more protein that the bees can get, the stronger the nurse bees will be, "fat bees, skinny bees", (there was a great book written with that title). (I have downloaded it to my desktop to read, one day, I am a great procrastinator).
In our area, the commercial beekeepers begin to feed pollen patties around the beginning of February, that is really soon. I will be too. They need to get their bees built up for the first pollination, blueberry. Yes, there is many buds forming on trees such as the hazelnuts, and so on, there is pollen there, but right now, the bees cannot yet fly to get any of this early pollen, they need all the help they can get sometimes. And who can say exactly how much pollen has been stored within the colony? We can only hope that there has been lots. Personally, I can't check, it is too cold, even when that sun shines. And some will say, let bees be bees, but I have reservations about that train of thought. Sometimes we need to help out the bees, to their advantage, and to the lesser, to ours.
So, advice here, read a little bit about the benefit of feeding extra pollen to the bees. It is worth the read. But you need to read these important things, and to understand, listening and learning, I know you both love to do that. That is our role as the caregiver of the bees. It will bring joy to your souls.
Strong spring building up requires lots and lots of pollen, maybe they have enough and are bringing lots in, but then, maybe they don't, do you want to take that chance? Have the most beautiful and wonderful day. Cindi
