Collected pollen life

[JohnRB]

I've started using a pollen trap on one of my hives for an hour a week, just to give me a good idea of what they are collecting. I've been amazed at how much you can collect in just an hour (yes, I know they are raising loads of brood at the moment and need pollen, but until you see an hours worth it's hard to visualise how much they actually bring in). It's made me wonder about collecting it over the season and using it in the early Spring to get the queen laying early for the OSR that's all around here. I'm thinking I could either mix it in with small amounts of fondant, or pour it into sterilised drawn comb to place in the hive next to the brood.

So, my question is, how do I preserve the pollen? I understand it can degrade quite quickly. Would vacuum packing and freezing help, or how about storing in a jar covered in honey?

PS, I expected last weeks to be OSR, but it was actually willow, which I thought had finished.

Thoughts?

 

[Sutty]

Completely un-evidenced but I'd be inclined to mix it with some honey and then freeze it.

 

[jarmo henttu]

I have made pollen patty, where the protein parts are dry yeast, soya flour and irradiated pollen.

The pollen has been sometimes 10 years old and patty has worked perfectly..

Patty needs 20% pollen. Otherwise bees do not like it.

 

[JohnRB]

I have made pollen patty, where the protein parts are dry yeast, soya flour and irradiated pollen.

The pollen has been sometimes 10 years old and patty has worked perfectly..

Patty needs 20% pollen. Otherwise bees do not like it.

Thanks, useful. When you say patty needs 20% pollen, do you mean at least 20% or no more than 20%?

 

[Sutty]

20% of what is a better question!
20% of total weight or of protein additives for example.

 

[jarmo henttu]

Thanks, useful. When you say patty needs 20% pollen, do you mean at least 20% or no more than 20%?

Pollen is valuable. I mean 20%.

I have tried 10%, and 50% out of hives did not eate the patty.

 

[Sutty]

Pollen is valuable. I mean 20%.

I have tried 10%, and 50% out of hives did not eate the patty.

20% of total by weight??

 

[jarmo henttu]

20% of total by weight??

In patties it must be 50% sugar, that yeast does not start to work.

I calculate 20% pollen from protein summary : pollen+dry yeast+ soya flour.

 

[Wilco]

If you're doing that, why not just wait until there's a frame of mostly pollen then freeze it for next year?

 

[jarmo henttu]

If you're doing that, why not just wait until there's a frame of mostly pollen then freeze it for next year?

If you have a frame of pollen you do not need to keep it in a freezer.

Bees need pollen frames in August to rear winterbees. One frame of pollen is needed to make one frame of brood.

 

[Michael Palmer]

I trap a hundred pounds of pollen every year, using it to feed cell builders. The pollen is stored in the freezer until used.
I expect it will remain good for a year or more

 

[JohnRB]

I trap a hundred pounds of pollen every year, using it to feed cell builders. The pollen is stored in the freezer until used.
I expect it will remain good for a year or more

Excellent, just what I needed to know. Thanks