Best time to add Patties

[Curly green finger's]

Aye , to the op , we can have pollen dearth’s and not much of this country has them even with me up on the hills my bees are bringing in pollen in early feb most years.
Perhaps think about collecting and storing your own pollen for feeding use if needs be

 

[Poly Hive]

So years ago I fed pollen patties. That is actual proper real pollen not sub.

My mentor (300 colonies) said one year I'm not going to bother this year and see the odds so I did too. Well I sort of had to as I got my pollen from him. End result?

IT MADE NO ODDS.

Actually that's a lie, it did as I didn't have to spend hours mixing it and I saved on time work and money.

KISS

PH

 

[Erichalfbee]

The danger of feeding pollen sub is that the colony will build up fast. If the weather then closes in you have to feed them in spring and risk adulterated honey.
I’ve fed pollen a few times in early autumn when it’s rained for weeks and the bees haven’t managed to get out. I think it’s made a difference then.

 

[ericbeaumont]

when should I consider changing to patties?

I wouldn't bother.

Instead, walk the dog and look to see what's in flower: where I am there's Viburnum tinus (been out a month), crocus, snowdrop, flowering cherry, and big yellow Continental-looking street trees which I should know but don't.

Watch also the hive entrance on a mild day and check the pollen colours going in against a modest colour chart, or this one if you're feeling flush, or this one.

 

[ericbeaumont]

The danger of feeding pollen sub is that the colony will build up fast

Yes, unless you need strong colonies to take bees to early OSR or top fruit on a contract, forget feeding patties.

 

[DanBee]

Spring build-up is pollen-limited, certainly here. Thus if there is ample opportunity to get out and good warm weather, colonies get ample pollen and raise good quantities of brood, but if the weather is cool or wet their brood raising is limited or halted. We had exactly this at some sites in 2021 (the most recent bad EFB year... long periods of stressful spring confinement).

It's the protein content (mostly) that's needed for brood food. We're not feeding patties to avert starvation (syrup or fondant would be more appropriate) but to support brood raising. Each cell of pollen you see around a patch of brood is enough to feed two larvae, so the turn-over of that inch-thick ring of pollen is rapid.

Occasionally we have a proper June gap and apply patties, especially to May nucs. Of course it varies from apiary to apiary.

We keep a stock of UltraBee patties for periods of poor weather - bees take this down readily and will continue / restart brood raising on it. We've tried others before and I recall in particular that FeedBee was dire - either mixed or as patties - they wouldn't even touch it to shift it out of the hive.

 

[Erichalfbee]

We keep a stock of UltraBee patties for periods of poor weather - bees take this down readily and will continue / restart brood raising on it. We've tried others before and I recall in particular that FeedBee was dire - either mixed or as patties - they wouldn't even touch it to shift it out of the hive.

Who apart from Patrick sells Ultra Bee?

 

[rolande]

Spring build-up is pollen-limited, certainly here. Thus if there is ample opportunity to get out and good warm weather, colonies get ample pollen and raise good quantities of brood, but if the weather is cool or wet their brood raising is limited or halted. We had exactly this at some sites in 2021 (the most recent bad EFB year... long periods of stressful spring confinement).

It's the protein content (mostly) that's needed for brood food. We're not feeding patties to avert starvation (syrup or fondant would be more appropriate) but to support brood raising. Each cell of pollen you see around a patch of brood is enough to feed two larvae, so the turn-over of that inch-thick ring of pollen is rapid.

Occasionally we have a proper June gap and apply patties, especially to May nucs. Of course it varies from apiary to apiary.

We keep a stock of UltraBee patties for periods of poor weather - bees take this down readily and will continue / restart brood raising on it. We've tried others before and I recall in particular that FeedBee was dire - either mixed or as patties - they wouldn't even touch it to shift it out of the hive.

Sometimes, a different point of view can make for a really thought provoking post.

 

[madasafish]

I feed pollen patties to both mini nucs and nucs NOW and to Queen Rearing hives in summer.
WHY?
Because despite the lots of pollen on trees/and flowers, it is not much using when it is 5-7C and raining.
As I write, the forecasts for the end of this week suggest a range of 1 to 6C and .. rain..

Now I want a good build up and nice strong queens: pollen outside the hive is great if it is available. As I buy pollen sub cheap and make up patties when needed (wife's mixer...don't tell) it costs not much and what I don't need (it goes off ) goes to a wormery..

 

[Ely]

Mine are bringing in crocus pollen at the moment. There's usually surplus pollen in the hives, especially in summer.