From: "deelusbybeekeeper" <deelusbybeekeeper@excelonline.com>
Date: Sat, 3 Nov 2001 21:29:09 -0800
To: <BiologicalBeekeeping@yahoogroups.com>
Subject: Re: Sugar and wintering

Mark wrote:

> What do you think of the idea of mixing a small amount of pollen or
> substitute with sugar water to feed in the Fall for wintering and in early
> Spring for buildup?

Reply:
Early spring here would work but keep the two seperate or use with
granulated honey. If you make artificial pollen to feed even, you cannot
have it liquid, it must be a very stiff patty.

Also if you feed pollen seperate with liquid, you stimulate broodrearing as
it makes the bees think a necater flow is on expecially with the pollen fed
at the same time, especially if they are having to rework and pack it
themselves from containers you have put it in. Doing this in fall is risky
business as many beekeepers cannot support feeding all winter this way
except if feeding to make strong hives to send to the almonds in Early
Feb.and then on to other crops.

Best to just feed the carbohydrate in the fall and forget the protein or pre
gather the pollen and sprinkle in empty frames and then let the bees think
they gathered it. When you sprinkle it (the pollen grains) into the empty
frames, fill the cells up if you can and then tap the pollen down to firm it
a little. Then put into colony. Bees will be more apt to use it like regular
gathered pollen that way just like granulated honey in temporary paper
packets.

So I guess what I am saying is do not make a liquid of pollen and syrup. But
still feed pollen and syrup or honey (honey is better). It's just the manner
in which you do it.

Dee