Highest protein content of pollen

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Meg

House Bee
Joined
Dec 9, 2008
Messages
169
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Location
Wells, Somerset
Hive Type
National
Number of Hives
20
Anyone know anything about which pollen has what in terms of protein levels?

I am preparing a talk and could do with knowing something about pollen types and how good they are for bees. Any research anyone can point me in the direction of?

Thanks in advance.

Meg
 
The range and proportion of amino acids in the protein are just as important, if not more so, than the amount of protein present . Most Bee pollens have between 7 and 30% protein content and 26% is typical although not all of the protein is available to the Bees as some is indigestable. Bees need 10 essential amino acids (arginine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan and valine) in the right proportion and most pollen types don't have all these (although I think I have read soemwhere that OS rape pollen has most of them in more or less the right amount). As you would expect, pollen from insect pollinated flowers has more nutrional value in respect of the range of amino acids present than pollen from wind pollinated flowers
 
Thanks MBK. Just what I am after. Where can I read up on this 'though and how do I find out which pollen has what percentage of protein and which amino acids? Is there some research somehwer whic indicates which pollens are most nutricious for honey bees?

Thanks again.

Meg
 
That's a great article Pete - thanks, I can definitely crib some information from that one.

About to try Randy now.

Meg
 
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Question is not about best protein content.

Bees have natural instinct to gather "many species pollen mixture". Bees do not know, what are good or bad protein sources. They seem to collect average value pollen more than best protein pollen.
Bees optiömal raw protein value is 22%.

Willow has 15%
fireweed 10%
pine 2%
kiwi zero
alfa alfa has lack of some essential aminoacids.

Clovers are good.
Rape has special value, fat content 7%.

More good reading from Peter Stace Australia "protein content and aminoacid profiles........."
 
I think I have read soemwhere that OS rape pollen has most of them in more or less the right amount).

that is not the red line of nutrition. It is multifloral mixture.

Minor factor of amino acid is second in list. If some amino acid is short, bees must eate more pollen that they get enough all amino acids.

Canola/rape blooms only 3 weeks in summer. Bees must live even if they have not at all rape pollen.

In our country willow is an only pollen plant 3 weeks in May. It is light but in practice it is only protein source here.

in August here bees have difficulties to get pollen from nature. But they have big pollen stores after main yielld and they change the pollen stores to winter bees.

One brood frame consumes about one frame pollen.

Then after emerging bee eates 3-5 days pollen to complete its growing cycle.
If bees have lack of pollen, they eate larvae from combs.
That happening is important when bees prepare themselves to winter.
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Protein 16 – 30%
Starch 1 – 7%
Sugars 0 – 15%
Fat 3 – 10%
Ash 1 – 9%
Plus water, enzymes, minerals and vitamins
 
Try David Aston book - not sure of exact title but I think it's 'keeping healthy honey bees'

Eb
 
just read this amazing chemical breakdown of bee pollen

Bee pollen has been considered to have the following nutrients:

Vitamins: Provitamin A, B-1 Thiamin, B-2 Riboflavin, B-3 Nancin, B-5, B-6 Pyridoxine, B-12 (cyanocobalamine), Pantothenic acid, Vitamin C, F, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin H, Vitamin K, Vitamin PP, Folic Acid, Choline, Inositol, Rutin.

Minerals: Calcium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Iron, Copper, Iodine, Zinc, Sulfur, Sodium, Chlorine, Magnesium, Manganese, Molybdenum, Selenium, Boron, Silica, and Titanium.

Other: Amino Acid, Carbohydrates, Fatty Acids, Enzymes & Co-Enzymes, Fats.

Bee Pollen contains at least 22 amino acids, 18 vitamins, 25 minerals, 59 trace elements, 11 enzymes or co-enzymes, 14 fatty acids, 11 carbohydrates and approximately 25 % protein. Bee pollen is extremely rich in carotenes, which are metabolic precursors of vitamin A. It is also high In B complex and vitamins C, D, E and Lecithin

Good stuff pollen
 
just as you think your bees are having a balanced diet you read about the down side, how depressing
 
Thanks all.

As ever, Randy Oliver has come up with the goods.

Finman, actually the question WAS about best protein content as that was what I was asking! I know bees require a range of pollens but that was not the question. I really wanted to know about which pollens has what level of protein to start with and THEN look into the variations following on from that.

Meg
 
Thanks all.

As ever, Randy Oliver has come up with the goods.

Finman, actually the question WAS about best protein content as that was what I was asking! I know bees require a range of pollens but that was not the question. I really wanted to know about which pollens has what level of protein to start with and THEN look into the variations following on from that.

Meg


but that is the most irralevant question. Nature has no championship competition.

Second is that is very difficult to get data from pollen protein values. One measuring costs about 1000 euros.

Above guys are making miracle stuff from pollen, but that is again hype sickness.
There is may be 22 aminoacids but the bee needs only 10 essential.
Pollen sellers do just that the advertising is mere bull flat .

We talk about human consumption but pollen is not human food. A harsh guy do not live with pollen.

I really hate carbage hype. It is very hard to dig essential things from carbage heap (like this forum too often is)
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Thanks all.

As ever, Randy Oliver has come up with the goods.


Meg

as far as I know, Randy Oliver has done nothing to reviele new facts about bee nutrition or bee protein sources. Randy is not a reseacher. He just write his "scientific" poems.

In USA doctor Heather Mattila has publisher clever modern articles about bee nutritions.
 
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We talk about human consumption but pollen is not human food.

Is there a definition somewhere for what constitutes human food?

look from google. Sure it is if you do not trust on your common sense.

I know that some people eate dog food too.

Have you ever read that if someone was starving in lonely island, Only food was pollen of flowers or that he captured bees and ate their pollen.
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Finman;258149 look from google. Sure it is if you do not trust on your common sense. I know that some people eate dog food too. Have you ever read that if someone was starving in lonely island said:
My common sense tells me that, as a supplement, its better than 99% of the overprocessed rubbish masquerading as food in the supermarkets.
Anyway, it looks good on my porridge and even tastes ok when covered with honey!
 

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