Any larvae that are raised at such times will be malnourished and, when they become adults, will not be as good nurses and foragers as they might have been. The lingering effects of even temporary starvation can last for generations, and will have continuing negative impacts on splitting, honey crops, and on wintering success.
Even if pollen appears to be abundant in a hive, that the pollen may all come from one floral source -- possibly one that is inferior -- and prove to be an incomplete diet for the bees. Supplementary protein, fed as patties, helps balance the diet and ensures adequate nutrition, both for the adult bees and for the brood being fed. Protein is usually fed as a patty on the top bars of the brood chamber that contains the open brood.
Unless the patty is within a few inches of open brood , the patty will often not be consumed, and the beekeeper may blame the patty. Often, if there are only small patches of brood on a frame or two, only the portion of the patty directly over that brood will be consumed, and the corners further away will be left untouched by the bees until the brood area expands. Although bees will benefit from protein feeding at any time of year when they are confined, other than winter, spring is the traditional time to feed patties.
Place immediately on the hives directly above the brood so nurse bees have easy access. Some folks prefer to remove all of the wax paper while others leave the bottom section of wax paper to rest upon the frames.
The amount of time a patty lasts in a hive depends on the needs of the bees and how interested they are in removing unwanted patties.
The one problem to watch for is small hive beetles in areas that have these pests, particularly during warm weather. SHB adore patties and believe you made these just for them. It is often recommended to remove any uneaten patty within 72 hours to help prevent SHB buildup instead of bee buildup if beetles are a concern.
Equally important is understanding how and why a colony may need pollen substitutes. You may also be interested in how to make fondant for bees. One of the keys to beekeeping success is to continue learning how to provide the best nutrition we can for our bees and be willing to experiment a bit with what we learn. Your email address will not be published. Notify me via e-mail if anyone answers my comment.
How to Make Pollen Patties. What Happens to Bees in the Winter? Your Seasonal Beekeeping Calendar. Leave a Reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. We have tried several different brands of pollen patties on our own bees and have found that the bees will consume these patties the best.
Feeding bees these patties in the springtime gives your bees optimum nutritional benefits, resulting in healthier bees that will build up strong colonies in time for the honey flow.
Patties contain AP23 pollen substitute, which has been formulated to deliver all of the currently known nutritional needs of the honey bee, with optimal balance of nutrient levels, in a highly palatable blend of specifically selected ingredients. AP23 is a high protein feed developed for all levels of beekeepers. It helps maintain colony strength by boosting populations and producing healthier bees, which results in better crop pollination and honey crops.
AP23 pollen patties are superior to most other available pollen patties, due to the AP23 pollen substitute. Consumption rates are more than 2 times greater than other pollen substitutes. Patties also contain Honey-B-Healthy, a feeding stimulant that includes lemongrass and spearmint essential oils that encourages honey bees to consume the patties and boosts their immune system.
Honey-B-Healthy is one of the best natural feeding stimulants available.
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