Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: bluewolff on May 30, 2005, 12:23:31 pm

Title: Why do we collect the pollen?
Post by: bluewolff on May 30, 2005, 12:23:31 pm
Sorry for such a dumb question folks. I am very new to this and hope to start my first hive nest spring. So i the mean time I am learning all that I can before I buy my bees. So why do we collect it and what uses do we have for it?

Thanks alot,
Joe
Title: Why do we collect the pollen?
Post by: Lesli on May 30, 2005, 01:10:43 pm
Some people sell it to those who think it helps with health problems. I started collecting it this year, and will likely save it to use next spring to help the girls build up sooner.
Title: Why do we collect the pollen?
Post by: Michael Bush on May 30, 2005, 10:47:13 pm
Many studies have shown that pollen substitute makes inferior bees compared to bees raised on real pollen.  My number one reason is to have real pollen to feed early.  (February or so around here).

But you can also sell pollen.
Title: Why do we collect the pollen?
Post by: bluewolff on May 31, 2005, 12:37:49 am
OK I think I got it. You collet the pollen and store it. Then you give it to the bees in the early spring to supplement there diet while the natural pollen is still not started or very slow.

So do the adult bees also eat the pollen or just the larvae?
How do you go about storing the pollen and then how do you give it to them?

Thanks alot agian folks,
Joe
Title: Why do we collect the pollen?
Post by: Michael Bush on May 31, 2005, 10:44:14 am
>OK I think I got it. You collet the pollen and store it. Then you give it to the bees in the early spring to supplement there diet while the natural pollen is still not started or very slow.

I think most people collect it to sell.  I collect it to feed the bees.

>So do the adult bees also eat the pollen or just the larvae?

Adult bees can live a long time on just syrup.  If they have pollen they don't consume a noticable amount of it.  But when gathering nectar there is always some pollen particles in it.  It's hard to say how much they consume of it, but mostly they only need pollen to raise brood.  They don't need pollen for the adults to subsist.
Title: Why do we collect the pollen?
Post by: Jerrymac on May 31, 2005, 10:57:59 am
Quote from: bluewolff


So do the adult bees also eat the pollen or just the larvae?

Joe


I don't think they eat the larvae at all.   :wink:
Title: Why do we collect the pollen?
Post by: Apis629 on May 31, 2005, 05:37:15 pm
Most books than I've read have stated that a newly emerged adult bee will eat pollen for the first day or two to simulate the glands that produce royal jelly.  Anyone have any idea about this?
Title: Why do we collect the pollen?
Post by: Michael Bush on June 01, 2005, 12:44:21 pm
It think there are two issues.  First, I think newly emerged bees do eat some pollen to finish developing.  But also any nurse bees, which they are likely to be, do use pollen to make royal jelly and food for larvae.  But at that point I would call that processing pollen to feed brood not consuming pollen.
Title: Why do we collect the pollen?
Post by: Apis629 on June 01, 2005, 03:01:02 pm
Ok...but when you consume food your body prossess it right?  I suppose, looking at it your way, that maybe they're not gaining anything from the pollen to be used by themselves.  I just can't immagine that they wouldn't be gaining some sort of nutritional value from eating/injesting pollen.
Title: Why do we collect the pollen?
Post by: Finsky on June 01, 2005, 03:29:03 pm
Here is very good report , nutrition of bees. University level report. Many people say what they say in internet.

http://maarec.cas.psu.edu/bkCD/HBBiology/nutrition_supplements.htm

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In Australia nutrition is second most important issue in bee research.