pollen patties

[Marty68]

does anyone have a receipy for pollen patty mix for winter

[apisbees]

The bees do not require pollen for the brood derth during winter. Late summer pollen and nectar to stimulate fall brood production  can be a good thing.

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[Marty68]

ty apis

[apisbees]

Phone was about to die so now on the computer and will add. Both nectar and pollen are critical for brood production but nectar is also needed so the bees can store reserves for winter feed. During the late summer and fall, drought conditions can impact the available nectar so the bees could cut back on brood for winter bees. Pollen is not effected quite as much from drought but that being said fall pollens can be scarce in some areas. The only sure way is to monitor for pollen being brought into the hive.
Pollen supplements are not as good as the real thing, and in the spring feeding a supplement to get the colony raising brood sooner helps the colony by providing an increase in bees that can then support further colony growth.
Bees produced in the fall we want them in our hives for the long winter so we want the healthiest bees going into winter. So the more natural pollen the bees have to use the better the quality of the winter bees will be.

[brooksbeefarm]

SHB love pollen patties . Jack

[riverbee]

what apis said marty........

do you have a concern?

[Marty68]

no no concerns here river. was just looking to start making my own rather than buying it. doesn't hurt to have more recipes. ty apis for the insights. still got lots to learn.

[lazy shooter]

I tried to feed some high dollar Mann Lake's pollen patties this spring.  My six hives did not eat any of them.  I have about 20 pound of the stuff in my freezer.  I wish you lived closer.  I would give them to you.  Feeding bees has been an exasperating thing for me.  It is my hope that I never have to feed again.

[riverbee]

"was just looking to start making my own rather than buying it. doesn't hurt to have more recipes."

absolutely marty. i don't mix mine myself anymore, if you are just mixing up a small batch, it probably isn't worth buying the ingredients to mix them yourself, but you can purchase dry material, and add whatever is required to it, usually syrup, or you can open feed dry substitute, if your weather is warm and dry.  i think scott does?

[Woody Roberts]

I've never used any substitutes but on warm days in the winter I'll have bees on the chopped corn I feed the chickens.

My bees always seem to have a lot of pollen in the bottom box.

[LazyBkpr]

   I usually feed dry, yes.  A tray under a feeder table filled with pollen sub..  Early spring they go bananas over it. If they have natural pollen it is completely ignored.  In the fall they will also take the pollen sub, but not as wild and crazy as early spring.
   

[Marty68]

i appreciate all the feedback that came in. i have 8 hives for now. just thought it would be better to make it then buy it. i can wait until i have more hives to do it then. just found out that my cousin has a few hundred acres of corn they use for dairy feed and they never spray it. would this be a good idea to put some hives over there next year and let them go at it

[brooksbeefarm]

Bees only get pollen from corn and from what i've read it's not that good a pollen. Jack

[riverbee]

what jack said marty.......the pollen from corn lacks in nutritional value. 

[Marty68]

i thought it would have been better. glad i found out more info before i put some out there.