Pollen patties or Syrup?

[chrisb]

Ultrabee from bee-equipment

Il second that, the bees never fail to take it, brood boost at start works wonders and same as Millet booming at seams !
Beepro is also good stuff, not quite ultra bee but same outcome

save the candipolline Gold is a pollen sub of sorts, its a feed and sub in one.

dont waste it feed it then switch to bee pro or Ultra bee if you wish

 

[MerryBee]

I wonder how necessary it is to feed any pollen supplement/substitute. I have never used it and my bees have been bringing in the real stuff in quantity since mid February, and now have up to 8 frames of brood.

I am in West Sussex, and I realise of course that others may have cooler or wetter weather. We have a very different climate from most of the USA where early pollen is in short supply and pollen substitute is widely used in spring.

 

[Erichalfbee]

If you don't have early pollen in significant quantity or you can't rely on the weather and want big colonies to get you an OSR crop then pollen supplements are jolly handy

 

[MerryBee]

If you don't have early pollen in significant quantity or you can't rely on the weather and want big colonies to get you an OSR crop then pollen supplements are jolly handy

Yes I take your point, but this is the beginners section, and perhaps we should be wary of giving beginners the impression that pollen supplement is always needed when it is not.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Yes I take your point, but this is the beginners section, and perhaps we should be wary of giving beginners the impression that pollen supplement is always needed when it is not.

Perhaps worth bearing in mind that a beginner may or may not have the developed skills or resources / equipment to handle a boosted and rapidly expanding colony if they are in their first or second season.
Mind you being tossed in at the deep end works ok for some

 

[Poly Hive]

Giving pollen is an insurance against poor weather. this season probably not needed (so far) but if it had been colder/wetter/windier then... a very different case.

Syrup should also be fed as it boosts colony morale and saves water carrying.

PH

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yes I take your point, but this is the beginners section, and perhaps we should be wary of giving beginners the impression that pollen supplement is always needed when it is not.

I agree, which is why I posted what I did

 

[Millet]

Perhaps worth bearing in mind that a beginner may or may not have the developed skills or resources / equipment to handle a boosted and rapidly expanding colony if they are in their first or second season.
Mind you being tossed in at the deep end works ok for some

Tell me about it , last year trying to do everything in swarm season was fun and games especially with a pot on my broken right arm, i managed to pull safe though..

 

[For want of a better word]

I have not seen bees taking in such huge amounts of pollen as I witnessed today.....

Use Candipol Gold on nucs... may give some of the other products a try... tried the Masie stuff... seemed to be a peanut protein and was pretty much ignored.

Schools out on this question for me before I get a hammering from the chap under the bridge!!

Nos da