Pollen Patty Questions

[Ruben]

I ordered in some pollen patties, I put them in the freezer, was this the correct thing to do? When should I start feeding them to the bees?

Thanks for your help!

Ruben

[Sundance]

What kind of patties???

If they are Global or simular do not freeze
them unless you seperate them and freeze
them on a sheet individually. Once frozen
you can put them back in the case.

If their frozen together they are a bear to
get apart and a mess. How do I know??

[Ruben]

I don't know, I ordered them from Brushy Mt and they were pollen substitute patties not actual pollen patties

[Sundance]

If it's not too late.... I'd separate them.

Once frozen then separate them (with a hammer
and chisel) when still frozen. From Iddee's
past experience (if I remember right) they
are an absolute mess if you thaw out the whole
block.

[Ruben]

The directions said to cut a v in the pack to place in the hive, would that mean they were individually packed?

[Joel]

{freeze
them on a sheet individually.}

Wax paper works better than bed sheets!

I doubt you'll need them much in VA though as you should have maple bloom this year the end of February beginning of March.

[Sundance]

Ruben, many patties have a wax paper on
both sides. The patties I am talking about
had the paper. It does no good if you freeze
and thaw them as a block. They get goooooy.

Joel..... You might be right, I'll try that.

[iddee]

Freeze and cry....
Thaw and cry harder.....
Refreeze and cuss.....
rethaw and give away, by the mushy cupful.

Learning is so much fun.

[Sundance]

I talked with the folks at Global Patties
and they said refrigeration was not needed,
even a year out. Mine got a same bug infestation
so I chose to freeze them. Bad choice.....

[Ruben]

You all had me scared so I went down to the basement and pulled them out of the freezer and opened them, they have wax paper between each patty so should I be o.k?

[iddee]

Did you separate a few?

[size="1"][ January 11, 2007, 07:42 PM: Message edited by: iddee ][/size]

[Ruben]

No

[Sundance]

Try to separate them and let us know.

[jean-marc]

Not sure about Virginia but I´m starting to feed patties to mine in a about 1 month.

Jean-Marc

[ScadsOBees]

ruben
I think you have the kind with the individually packed patties. You need to cut the V in the top paper and pull back to expose the actual patty material.

If so, then they are fine in the freezer. I have what sounds like the same thing in my freezer.

-rick

[size="1"][ January 12, 2007, 07:27 AM: Message edited by: ScadsOBees ][/size]