Feeding Pollen Substitute Patties. AKA Pudding.

[BEES4U]

6/24/2012
With the lack of rain this year in southern California and some other geographical zones, how many of you are feeding pollen substitute?
Regards,
Ernie

[Keith Jarrett]

6/24/2012
how many of you are feeding pollen substitute?
Regards,
Ernie

I think alot Ernie, I've sent two truck loads up north ( Orland-Chico) and a semi is order by Tom in Fresno to the south,The whole state is feeding sub. Going to be a long summer.

[Matt Beekman]

Feeding sub too. It is going to be a long summer and even worse a long fall. Blue curl and tarweed looking pretty sparse.

[psfred]

Learned my lesson last year, this year I fed my caught swarms half a pound of megabee each, and will feed again this fall unless I see lots of pollen going in. Right now they are fine, got a nice nectar flow from the soybeans next door and lots of bright yellow pollen (probably squash and cucumbers for the neighbors veggie gardens), but after losing a hive to stress and european foul brood, I'm feeding.

I've got syrup on the hives too, they are not as large as I'd like. We have very variable winters here, with just about no winter at all last year to six weeks of snow cover. I want them fat and happy by late October.

Give the current forecast of now rain any time soon, and since we typically don't get rain at all in late summer unless it's related to a tropical storm wandering up the Mississippi valley, I expect to be feeding until November.

Peter

[Flyer Jim]

Feeding sub too. It is going to be a long summer and even worse a long fall. Blue curl and tarweed looking pretty sparse.

And the grasshoppers will get what little there is.

[G B]

Just got back from N/E colorado, great crop of grass hoppers to go along with the lack of rain. When we go back I will be taking the last of keiths sub that I got from Tom. Looking tough to me, sure hoping for some rain

[alpha6]

Hey GB... nothing much in the way of honey and what there is, is hardly enough to keep the hives going. We have had feeders on since they got back from Cali... fires are a much bigger concern right now... One is burning between GJ and Debaque and growing...if it moves East or North East we are going to have yards in trouble.

[Joseph Clemens]

Already feeding sub and some very thin syrup here (to help add water for cooling). Nothing too unusual, except I've been concerned about the excess royal jelly in queen cells seems to have been drying down even more quickly than usual (just a few days after the cells are sealed), so I installed a fogging system under the mesquite tree where I grow my cells, it has made it easier for me to work outside, drops the temp and increases the R.H. I certainly hope it makes a good difference for the cells.

We've just had some fairly decent rain, but if it doesn't continue raining, or the temperature doesn't drop some, it won't turn into a flow by August.

[G B]

Hello Alpha, great to here from you.We havent started feeding yet but are close, found a bunch of used feeders for sale so will bee making a road trip to pic them up. I am still using your H-B-H receipe. You need to quit meswssing around with that job of yours and get serious about the bees again..... take care GB

Hey GB... nothing much in the way of honey and what there is, is hardly enough to keep the hives going. We have had feeders on since they got back from Cali... fires are a much bigger concern right now... One is burning between GJ and Debaque and growing...if it moves East or North East we are going to have yards in trouble.

[jlnar87]

my name is jim. i had to move to woodbury right outside the twin cities and i had to get rid of all my hives. im looking for anyone that needs help with their bees, anything from bee inspections to queen rearing, extracting etc. i will volunteer my time because beekeeping is my passion. been doin it for 6 years. willing to drive quite a distance. my email is jamlnar87@gmail.com

[BEES4U]

How is the pollen substitute/pudding feeding going on?
I am making feed rims and feeding syrup.
Good luck everybody,

[Keth Comollo]

Not feeding here in Vermont. Might throw a patty on before winter after their fall dose of medicated syrup.

[bhfury]

How is the pollen substitute/pudding feeding going on?
I am making feed rims and feeding syrup.
Good luck everybody,

Some are getting patties some don't need it here. I need to make a few more hive rims and some for nucs that that I will winter. The rabbit brush is just starting to bloom maybe a bit early, but the bees can use it. If it runs out, I will start back on subs and later add fondant.

[BeeGhost]

Ive got pollen patties and 1:1 syrup on my hives right now, not enough star thistle to get excited about and mustard is done. Do have a little bit of fennel blooming, but that will be over soon. Have a feeling I will be feeding until winter unless I can get my hives onto some blooming alfalpha closer to home.

Hoping next year will be better, if it wasnt for my two hives in the city I would have NO honey this year. Atleast those hives are doing good.

[BEES4U]

Thursday, September 13, 2012

By now we have been feeding pollen substitute and thin sugar syrup for up to 6o days and most of us are somewhat tired of the uncooperative weather.
However, it looks like we have an ENSO developing.
Feeding hives is a better investment than purchasing pakages to replace our losses.
How are the rest of you doing?

[loggermike]

More syrup feeding than I have ever had to do. Rabbit brush is producing pollen but no nectar shake out.Rain would help, but none in sight .

[RayMarler]

Hives are bare of pollen and brood is spotty, not enough pollen or nectar coming in to support any brood rearing. I've been feeding syrup for a month or two and pollen patties went on yesterday.

[kilocharlie]

Ernie - I've been feeding syrup + HBH. What pollen substitute do you recommend for our area and why? Thank you, Casey.