Supplements advice - Juiced up bees!

[GavB]

I wanted go into this year with stronger hives (don't we all). Ive heard of products like Candipolline which my local association are apparently feeding. (havent had chance go down to speak to folk yet due to work commitments) So just wondered what peoples views are on the different available supplements and foods? do you see any better results....which products etc. are you using?

Last year, also my first year I just used sugar/water

 

[Poly Hive]

Stick to syrup and the hype you are hearing is AFAIK just that.

PH

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Have any of them told you why they are feeding it? or what they hope to achieve? Candipolie is just very expensive fondant with food colouring added

 

[Curly green fingers]

https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=43747
This might give you an idea what beekeepers think of it.
Personally I don't use it or need to.
Cheers mark.

 

[Beefriendly]

Lots of depends, hence various responses.
Take today, nice warm day for Feb....several beekeepers seeing pollen being brought into their hives...perhaps no need.
My hives, bees flying well today...no pollen being brought in.
I'll be feeding pollen substitute shortly...

Perhaps a case of where you live and your local fauna determining what you do with your bees.

 

[Curly green fingers]

Lots of depends, hence various responses.
Take today, nice warm day for Feb....several beekeepers seeing pollen being brought into their hives...perhaps no need.
My hives, bees flying well today...no pollen being brought in.
I'll be feeding pollen substitute shortly...

Perhaps a case of where you live and your local fauna determining what you do with your bees.

it also helps if your able to plant early sources of pollen . Mine have been on mahonia and gorse today.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahonia_aquifolium
And
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulex

 

[beeno]

Hi Gav, Really depends on your local conditions. I am very lucky my hives were all having a pollen fest today and I have never had a need to supplement pollen.

 

[iann41]

I'll be feeding pollen substitute shortly...

What pollen sub will you feed and how will you feed it. Last year I fed pollen patties. Some hives used it but most left it alone. I'm thinking of feeding it dry, outside of the hive in a short length of horizontal drain pipe to keep the rain off. Partly block the ends to stop the wind blowing it away.

 

[GuyNir]

Have any of them told you why they are feeding it? or what they hope to achieve? Candipolie is just very expensive fondant with food colouring added

You keep saying this. Here’s the ingredients:

Composition

Beet sugar (sucrose) sugar syrup, pollen, caseinate , allumen, glycerine, vitamins E300, L asorbic acid (vitamin C) 400IU/kg.

Analytic Constitutions:

Sugar 93.35%
Crude Fibre <1.5%
Crude Ashes <0.5%
Crude Protein 1.38%
Crude Oil & Fat <0.25%
Calcium 45mg/kg
Phosphorous 108mg/kg
Sodium 57mg/kg
Methionne <LQ
Lysme <LQ

Just fondant with colouring? Fine if you don’t like it, don’t use it - but let’s stick to the facts.

Speaking of supplements, I believe Ultra Bee was proven in a research to be the best when it comes to colony build up.

For me, when the bees can fly, there’s pollen out there for them.

 

[Beefriendly]

Some hives used it but most left it alone. # away.

Currently using FeedBee as a paste made up with syrup that I slap on top of the frames. Like yourself some use it some don't. Not done this frequently enough to make any conclusions from this.

 

[For want of a better word]

I wanted go into this year with stronger hives (don't we all). Ive heard of products like Candipolline which my local association are apparently feeding. (havent had chance go down to speak to folk yet due to work commitments) So just wondered what peoples views are on the different available supplements and foods? do you see any better results....which products etc. are you using?

Last year, also my first year I just used sugar/water

It depends... if your love is Autochtone bees then probably they have adapted to the local environment and do not need additional help...
If you have special bees then perhaps you will need to give them extra additives to boost their foraging capabilities.... Ferrari totty pullers and the such need special high octane fuel!

 

[Murox]

This is an observational question- not a 'dig'.
What is the benefit of feeding substitute when there is natural pollen coming in ? and don't bees just ignore patties/dry fed sub. in those circumstances?

 

[Poly Hive]

The classic argument (which I have used myself) is that when there is plenty its not needed and when there is a dearth it is.

However... most places have plenty of pollen.

ITLD has stopped using it and he mentioned recently dumping tons of it. My old mentor also a BF gave up on it after the irridated pollen dried up. He reported seeing no difference to the build up.

I wonder really if it more to do with the beekeeper feeling that they are "Doing something positive" and so a feel good factor. *shrug*

PH

 

[Finman]

You keep saying this. Here’s the ingredients:

Composition

Beet sugar (sucrose) sugar syrup, pollen, caseinate , allumen, glycerine, vitamins E300, L asorbic acid (vitamin C) 400IU/kg.

Analytic Constitutions:

Sugar 93.35%

Crude Protein 1.38%


Just fondant with colouring? .

Practically yes. No help to brooding. Expencive sugar. Grude protein should be 50%.

 

[Beefriendly]

However... most places have plenty of pollen.

As Randy Oliver found in his pollen supplement experiments; some of the unfed controls started cannibalising their larvae as this was the only source of protein available to them.
Most places...perhaps but not all.

Where I live the season starts late as we are high up, 7 miles away (and 500 foot lower) crocuses are in full bloom....ours are just showing their heads...so mine will get some substitute next week as they will be brooding in this unseasonable warm spell.
To me it's about reading the current situation and acting accordingly, rather than having a single fixed policy that might work in the majority of situations.

 

[Murox]

Interesting article -Randy Oliver - re when/how/if/etc feeding of pollen substitute. http://scientificbeekeeping.com/when-to-feed-pollen-sub/

 

[Poly Hive]

BF?

Our crocus are barely breaking ground here.

However I did observe one bee working the snowdrops yesterday when for about 10 minutes the wind dropped and the temp rose.

Have you considered moving your bees to a lower altitude if the issue is so dire?

Seems obvious really?

PH

 

[Finman]

.
Randy Oliver lives in California.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

You keep saying this. Here’s the ingredients:

Composition

Beet sugar (sucrose) sugar syrup, pollen, caseinate , allumen, glycerine, vitamins E300, L asorbic acid (vitamin C) 400IU/kg.

Analytic Constitutions:

Sugar 93.35%
Crude Fibre <1.5%
Crude Ashes <0.5%
Crude Protein 1.38%
Crude Oil & Fat <0.25%
Calcium 45mg/kg
Phosphorous 108mg/kg
Sodium 57mg/kg
Methionne <LQ
Lysme <LQ

Just fondant with colouring? Fine if you don’t like it, don’t use it - but let’s stick to the facts.

.

Facts are pretty obvious there - bugger all of use as a pollen substitute.
Just fondant with food colouring and some contaminants

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I wonder really if it more to do with the beekeeper feeling that they are "Doing something positive" and so a feel good factor. *shrug*

PH

Where I live the season starts late as we are high up, 7 miles away (and 500 foot lower) crocuses are in full bloom....ours are just showing their heads...so mine will get some substitute next week as they will be brooding in this unseasonable warm spell.
To me it's about reading the current situation and acting accordingly, rather than having a single fixed policy that might work in the majority of situations.

You also need an early build up as you want/need strong colonies for the OSR