Patties can help to increase brood production and honey flow during spring and fall or periods of low pollen dearth, as well as to protect the beehive from small hive beetle infestation.
Global’s AP23 Pollen Substitute is more palatable to bees than commercial protein patties and has a higher consumption rate. Plus, its HiveAlive feed stimulant and seaweed nutrients promote colony health!
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Harvest Lane Honey Feeding Patties for Bees
As soon as spring arrives, honey bees begin using protein patties to rear brood at an exponential pace, leading to an explosion of population by summertime. Unfortunately, too rapid of an expansion may put pressure on hives that might otherwise swarm without intervention later in the season – drastic preventive measures may need to be employed if this occurs.
Beekeepers looking to ensure a steady supply of protein-rich food for their bees can use solid sugar substitutes like candy boards, fondant, or granulated sugar poured onto newspaper and placed above clusters. Some beekeepers add a sprinkle of talc to make the dry sugar stick better to their bees so they can tear it off more easily for consumption.
Betterbee offers winter patties you can open and place directly onto frames as an easy solution to feeding bees a premade pattied made up of dried pollen and liquid sugar solutions, such as high fructose corn syrup or sucrose.
HiveAlive® Pollen Patties
Patties can be given to bee colonies during times when there is a shortage of pollen or nectar; alternatively they can also be given during nectar dearths.
The patty is designed to simulate pollen and stimulate brood production by encouraging nurse bees to secrete more royal jelly. Additionally, its sugar, vitamins and oils assist the nurse bees in building comb.
The Patty contains 15% real pollen and 15.5% protein for optimal bee nutrition. With its high concentration of HiveAlive (1 tsp per patty), this patty provides optimal bee nutrition. Simply place one directly over frames in your hive near where brood are being raised – make sure it has its perforated paper placed down so bees can access through holes underneath – check regularly and add more as needed! Ingredients used: Sugar, Soy Flour, Brewer’s Yeast, Water Pollen HiveAlive Dried Seaweed Meal Fucaceae Thyme Lecithin Lemon Grass Oil
Mann Lake® Pollen Patties
Mann Lake pollen patties contain high protein concentrations to facilitate brood rearing during spring. When placed atop frames in a hive, these protein supplements help the bees increase brood production – perfect for new or weak colonies that need help expanding their numbers.
Results from this experiment demonstrate that feeding protein patty with natural pollen to Saskatchewan beehives during spring can increase their overall brood count, as demonstrated at Saskatchewan Beekeepers Development Commission field days at Good Spirit Lake and Saskatoon during June.
Note that pollen supplement should only be administered when necessary; once bees have enough natural pollen to rear their brood, protein supplements should no longer be fed as this could stimulate too early and potentially lead to collapse or decline.
HiveAlive® Winter Patties
Sugar based patties can be used as autumn feed, winter top-up feed, or late winter/early spring prevention of starvation. By placing them directly over clusters, bees won’t need to leave their cluster in order to access their food, thus decreasing chances of starvation and decreasing starvation risk. Plus they’re easy to manage, store, and won’t cause robbing as often.
Each fondant patty contains 15% real pollen and 15.5% total protein as well as an abundant dose of HiveAlive which has been scientifically shown to significantly boost colony productivity and health, especially over winter. Furthermore, each fondant patty provides essential trace minerals and vitamins required by bees for rearing brood successfully and maintaining strong colonies.
Place each patty directly over a cluster and position its perforated paper side down so bees can access it through its holes underneath. Monitor hives regularly (weather prepping) to measure how much fondant has been consumed, replacing with new packages as necessary.
