Using frames of pollen for spring buildup?

[wayacoyote]

We're looking at the combs we pulled off at the onset of winter and are finding quite a few with either patches or fully loaded with pollen (bee bread). We will checkerboard all the hives we can with our stash of empty comb. But I'm wondering about all of this pollen.

I haven't talked to Walt Wright yet, but I'm wondering if I could use it in the checkerboarded boxes for the bees to use while expanding their broodnest. Seems like it would help for buildup.

If I don't use them in checkerboarding, where should I put them in as I add frames into expanding/ building up hives? Out to the sides or closer to the middle? I want them where the bees can use them. I figure they'll store more pollen when it becomes available.

Thanks

[Ben Brewcat]

Within a frame or so of where open brood is/will be soon, it should be close.

[chillardbee]

I've always seperated the frames from the deadouts into pollen-honey-empty. I would use the pollen frames in february and march when, even though there's pollen coming in, it's less then they would have than being given a full frame. usually there's pollen on the second frame in but I leave that for after they expanded that far.

there was a trick I learn from another fellow beek that I use every spring now once I run out of pollen frames. I sprinkle a cup and a half of chinese irradiated pollen into an empty frame so the cells relatively 3/4 full, then I splash solution of honey/surgar syrup/pollen mix on the frame and rub it in. I then put the frame right next to the brood. the solution softens the pollen and after the bees have sucked enough fluid they will actually pack the pollen down. depending on the strength of the hive they can have it packed down in 2 days. then i repeat the proccess for the other side of the frame.

I might note the instead of using chinese irradiated pollen, it's preferable to use your own trapped pollen which i plan on doing this year.