Pollen patties are a great way to add flavor to your meal without adding calories. In addition, they are easy to make and can be used by a wide variety of people. For this reason, they are very popular.
Premade pollen patties
Pollen patties are a great way to get your bees the protein they need. They are also a good way to boost brood production and keep the adults fed. Fortunately, there are many options on the market.
For example, Natural Apiary makes a good set of premade pollen patties that can be fed to your hive. They are made in the USA and contain the right mix of protein, sugar and other requisites. The snazzy lollipop shaped patties come in sizes from one pound to 2.5 pounds.
Alternatively, you can take matters into your own hands and make your own. Pollen patties are easy to make using common household items. Some commercial beekeepers supplement their bees with these patty aficionados in the fall and winter months. But if you’re a hobbyist, you may not be in the market for a contract.
While the name of the patty may sound like the name of a drug, the pollen patty is a viable and low cost solution to the beekeeping conundrum. It’s a great way to make sure your bees are properly fed during the winter months.
In addition to these products, you can also look for pollen substitutes. They are designed to imitate the real thing. These can be used when a shortage of pollen or other resources makes it impossible to get your bees out into the wild.
Dry pollen substitute
Dry pollen substitute for pollen patties has become a popular alternative for beekeepers. While it does have its downsides, it’s an easy way to keep bees healthy.
The best dry pollen substitute for pollen patties is high protein, which will supply the bees with essential nutrients. It should be a mixture of different sources of proteins to ensure a complete nutritional mix for the bees.
Bees rely on protein to make sure they are fed properly. This means that they need the correct balance of amino acids in order to be able to fully use the protein. Protein comes from various sources, which have different levels of the essential amino acids.
Depending on where you live, the amount of protein your bees need can vary. If you’re not sure how much they need, it’s probably a good idea to give them a few patties.
Pollen patties are made from a mixture of protein, carbohydrates, and vitamins. They are usually mixed with cane sugar or honey.
Ideally, you should feed your bees patties during a period of high brood production, in the early spring or when there’s a shortage of pollen. Patties are also beneficial in encouraging nurse bees to produce more royal jelly, which is fed to young bee larvae.
Several different types of dry pollen substitute are available for sale. You should choose a pollen substitute that is well-known and has a label describing its ingredients.
Understanding pollen’s use in the hive
Pollen plays a crucial role in the life of a honey bee colony. It provides essential nutrition for larval brood and adult bees. But it is not the only food source.
Bees collect pollen and store it in the hive. The hive stores the pollen in wax-capped honey comb cells. When a bee collects pollen, it mixes it with water in the hive.
The resulting ‘bee bread’ is fermented by worker bees. Honey bees use this bread for feeding their young. They also add nectar to the mix to make a sweeter substance.
Some commercial beekeepers supply the hives with pollen supplements in the fall and winter. This helps the bees kick start brood production for the coming season. These supplements can be particularly useful in commercial operations.
Compared to fresh pollen, stored pollen has lower bacterial counts and a greater concentration of simple sugars. However, it contains some acid resistant bacteria, namely Lactobacillus kunkeei.
Despite its nutritional value, pollen is not an ideal microbial growth medium. Microbes do not multiply or flourish in a hive-stored pollen environment.
In addition, the storage time of pollen varies. It is possible that the period of storage is a function of the type of sugar-rich conditions in which the pollen is stored.
Regardless of the age of the pollen, it is likely that the microbes in the hive-stored pollen are not well-adapted to the nutrient conversion necessary for the long-term survival of the hive.
