pollen overload in brood box

[Finman]

.
Do a mistake once a day and you make 100 happy forum players.

.

 

[Chris Luck]

Here you go Finman.

I've learnt a lot from my mistakes.....

.....that's why I intend to make lots more.

Chris

 

[Swarm]

I'd just like to ask what freezers you people have?

 

[BeeJayBee]

I'd just like to ask what freezers you people have?

Bigger than mine, and with no food inside.

 

[london_flower_guy]

according to research by Standifer honey bee nutrition and supplementary feeding 1980 a colony requires around 100lbs of pollen annually for brood rearing. I would argue you can never have enough pollen stores within your hive, pollen is the primary source of nutrition for developing larva and contains all the vital nutritional elements developing bees need which is lacking in nectar. Many honey bee researchers are of the opinion that pollen and not nectar availability is more of a limiting factor in terms of honey bee health. I agree with previous commentators, if you have a huge glut of pollen then use a pollen trap and store it. I would be wary of transferring frames containing pollen between hives though as pathogens may lurk in the comb itself.

I have read somewhere (cant recall the source) that Honey bees are able through a chemical process to revive the biological value of pollen that has appeared to have expired. I believe the article said they only do this if there is a dearth in availability of fresh pollen.

The bees do dress pollen with saliva and chemicals to extend its shelf life.

 

[nonstandard]

If the pollen has gone stale, they'll prefer to consume fresher stuff, and eventually, you'll have to scrape the frame back to the midrib, because they are simply ignoring it (which does rather sound to be the case already).

itma this is fresh pollen stored in the last week or so, I'm guessing they have chosen to fill the frame as the brood has hatched out.

 

[Finman]

itma this is fresh pollen stored in the last week or so, I'm guessing they have chosen to fill the frame as the brood has hatched out.

the pollen is meant to stored for bad days and weeks. Of course they eate fresh pollen first because question is about bad days store.

But bees eate all the time stores too. They store pollen next to brood and when
brooding expand, they eate off pollen and make free cells for laying.

If you have last year pollen frames, like super frames, only way to get frames cleaned is to give the frames to be layed. After a week the frames are full of larvae.
when bees emerge. They are free from pollen.