Pollen patties

[Nick W]

Hi

I am about to put some pollen patties on for my ladies.

Quick question - I was going to put them on the frames within an eke.

Would I smoke a little first of all when lifting the crownboard off or try it without smoke like when doing the winter OA treatment?

Thanks

Nick

 

[drstitson]

i'd do it without smoke.

 

[Black Comb]

If they are clustered on top of the frames you may have to smoke them down, if not just gently place on top of frames without crushing any.

Put mine on yesterday when they were flying.

 

[bushman1872]

no smoke for me either, just moved very slowly as one lot are a little highly strung.

 

[bee crazy]

i dont use smoke at this time of year. but i do have the smoker going just in case

 

[bobandbec]

You don't need an eke. The patties should be pliable enough to place on top of the frames and push down between them. They need to go right over where the bees are clustering so a contact is made. If the bees are over the tops of the frames you may need a little smoke to push them down. Be as quick as you can when you put them on. Have everything ready before you open up.

Peter

PS I only use them on good to large colonies and where there is a source of early nectar you want to capitalise on, OSR mostly.

 

[winmag270]

ducks for cover, tin hat on.....

what receipe patties are you guys using, assuming you are making your own, or are you using commercially available products?

 

[Black Comb]

I've used Neopoll.

 

[Poly Hive]

Neopoll is certainly soft enough to roll out to put on top of a hive. Roll it out and put it on grease proof paper, then GP on top then patty and so on.

PH

 

[jezd]

After all the talk in the other thread I just made a decision, the end result was this blend:

kg %

Soya 10.0 12.5
Soya FF 20.0 25.0
B Yeast 10.0 12.5
Sugar 39.9 50.0
Honey maybe used instead of the sugar to help takeup

Totals 79.8 100.0

JD

 

[bobandbec]

1 part brewers yeast
1.5 parts full fat soya flour
0.5 part dried milk powder
chopped up dates (enough)
1 to 1 sugar syrup to make into a pliable dough

put into grease proof paper in patty sized "blobs" and squash flatish ready to go onto the tops of the frames

if not used keep in the fridge or freeze

if stored make sure they are warmed up before putting onto the colony

only my own recipe!

Peter

 

[Nick W]

I put them on this weekend.

A few bees were about but they seemed ok.

I used thornes' patties in an eke.

Thanks for the advice.

Nick

 

[region2]

Soya Powder

I can source Brewers Yeast at Equine suppliers but where to get soya powder? And should it be full fat or de-fatted?

R2

 

[Finman]

.
This is not proper time to feed protein to bees.
It is time to bees to get ready for winter rest.

- ceasins of pollen tells to bees that it is autumn
- those bees which feed larvae, do not over winter
- pollen patty feeded bees are not good winterer

as far as I understand, there are still there pollen and weather to forage.

 

[Beeline]

.
This is not proper time to feed protein to bees.
It is time to bees to get ready for winter rest.

Was just about to ask the question why you were feeding now. Thought pollen patties were something you gave them only circa 4-6weeks before the OSR flow or any other (early) main flow.

Interested to hear the reasons.

BL

 

[region2]

Chillax guys - just getting ready for spring - I have fondant on now but the pollen patties was just an idea I was toying with.

Found a recipe elsewhere that says full fat soya powder is fine...

R2

 

[Finman]

just an idea I was toying with. [/B]


R2

do you know that you are killing your bees. You need not much study bee nutrition
when you find that you violate your hives. And badly.

Australian has a short winter. First bloomer is canola/rape. They did a research, is it able to keep colonies strong over winter and then get at firts a good yield.
They feeded colonies with protein. Colonies become sick with nosema, and when canola started to bloom, feeded colonies were in worse condition than nonfeeded.

.

 

[Finman]

.
I have this kind of experience.

Once I reared 6 nucs in August to full size colony with electrict heating and pollen patties.
I got easily full langstroth box brood.

When winter came, those bees we not capable to over winter. Every colony almost died before Spring. I heve not tried it any more. Bees rear winter bees with real pollen. Patty has not such nutrition values as pollen.

My patty has 20% irradiated pollen, soya flour and living yeast + multivitamins.
Now I add magnesium too.