Fall Feeding and Pollen Stores?

[Dave W]

Greetings . . .

I have read that fall feeding (syrup) due to poor flow, will result in little, if any, stored pollen.

Should pollen/substitute be fed in the fall?

thanx
Dave W

[Michael Bush]

You can try it, but I've never had a lot of luck feeding pollen unless there was an actual shortage of real pollen, and from early spring until a couple of hard freezes there is almost always some pollen still around.

[Dave W]

Greeting MrBEE,

I have also read that the survival of overwintered colonies is closely correlated w/ the amount of reserve pollen available.
Inadequate supply of pollen is one of the reasons for winter loss.

What can we do if our hive does NOT have enough pollen stored?

[hoosierhiver]

my bees are going crazy collecting ragweed pollen at the moment.

[ikeepbees]

I agree with Michael, I haven't been able to feed pollen or substitutes except in the very early spring just as the buildup begins. after that they aren't interested. Unless the pollen shortage is due to beekeeper intervention, I assume they know what they are doing. If they haven't stored enough pollen and don't survive the Winter, then I didn't want that queen contributing to the gene pool anyway.

If I do have a split or swarm that didn't have time to prepare for Winter, I look through the other hives in the yard for some extra pollen and honey, and if I find it I give it to them. If not I'll feed them some sugar syrup (grudgingly) and see if they make it.

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Rob Koss

[Michael Bush]

I've never tried it, but I suppose it makes sense to steal frames of honey/pollen and freeze then to use for splits and other things including giving more pollen in the spring. If you take frames of pollen out they will gather more.

[Daisy]

it makes sense to steal frames of honey/pollen and freeze then to use for splits and other things including giving more pollen in the spring. If you take frames of pollen out they will gather more.


Michael this is a great thought. So good that I've taken so far three frames of honey with some pollen from excess stores and placed them in my freezer. I added back undrawn comb, but heck, they might draw it up in the next couple of months. Would you say we have about two more months of forageing time left here in the central midwest?

I'm assuming you're not talking about that which is stored on the outsides of the brood nest, right? I'd sure hate to disturb them that deep into their homes.

[WineMan]

I keep 10-20 frames of mostly pollen frozen for feeding. Its the only way I have found to give them pollen. If you are going to go to the effort of freezing them, make sure to collect frames that have good quality pollen and not just any old thing.

[Russ]

Do you have to freeze the frames or can you store them in an extra hive body??????

[clintonbemrose]

If you don't freeze it, it might go rancid and spoil. Freezing it will preserve it's freasness.
Clint


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Clinton Bemrose
just South of Lansing Michigan

[Michael Bush]

My concerns are the freshness of the pollen and infestation by wax moths. In the freezer I don't have to worry about either. But if you can't put it in the freezer and you're going to store it somewhere else, I'd spray it with certan and seal it up air tight in a cool place, like the basement.

[Michael Bush]

>I'm assuming you're not talking about that which is stored on the outsides of the brood nest, right? I'd sure hate to disturb them that deep into their homes.

I try not to disturb the brood nest much, but if you want honey and pollen,that's probably where you'll find it.

[mnist]

When you freeze a frame what do you do? just stick it in the freezer with the ice cream, wrap it in plastic first or what?

[Michael Bush]

I don't freeze a lot of comb, but I would think you would want to wrap it at least and perhaps, if you have a nice deep chest freezer, you might want to leave them in the super so they don't get banged up in there. A clear garbage bag would be nice for wrapping them.

[BULLSEYE BILL]

I just layered mine in newspaper and they were fine. Mine were from a crashed hive that was overtaken by wax moths, I wanted to freze the moths and didn't need the frames until I made a split the next spring. Just don't let your 15 year old go rummaging through it looking for popsicles, put your icecream in the other freezer http://www.beesource.com/ubb/wink.gif



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Bullseye Bill
Smack dab in the middle of the country.

[Dave W]

Greetings . . .

I use four, 11 x 12.5" (gallon-size), Glad Storage Bags (no zipper). Place a bag inside a bag and insert deep-frame, cover other end of frame w/ double-bag and use FREEZER tape (NOT duct tape or masking tape) to seal bags in middle of frame.

I dont think garbage bags are "food-safe".

Dave W

[BWrangler]

Hi Everyone,

I have found a 'secrete ingrediant' that will promote the bees acceptance of pollen substitutes. It works best when a little pollen is coming in.

You can get the details at:
http://wind.prohosting.com/tbhguy/bee/subs.htm

In the fall, a point is reached where the bees will not take any pollen/sub or syrup. Here, that occures about the first week of October. After that, some hives will pick at the supplimental feed but it is generally a waste of time. Very little feed will be consumed by the bees.

Regards
Dennis


[This message has been edited by BWrangler (edited August 07, 2004).]

[Rod350]

BWrangler I'm interested in the secret but the link doesn't work for me. Does it work for anyone else ?

[Steve Hamilton]

I also could not get the link to work.

[ikeepbees]

Well, he did say it was "secret"...

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Rob Koss

[beebarf]

well kept secret, I cant get to the link either.

[mark williams]

Same here.>>>>Mark

[BWrangler]

Sorry :>(
www.geocities.com/usbwrangler/subs.htm (http://www.geocities.com/usbwrangler/subs.htm)