# Whey protien for bees?



## Jaseemtp (Nov 29, 2010)

So I have so extra whey powder sitting in the pantry and was making fondant when I started wondering if I fed this to the bees. Has any one tried this before? What would the negatives be other than the expense?


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

Winter stores should be sugar or honey as pure as you can get. If the bees eat solids they have to poop and chances to do that are few and far between in the winter here... I don't know about your location. If you want to make some kind of patties to induce them to rear brood, then, if you want to use it, I would use it there rather than in fondant.


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## Jaseemtp (Nov 29, 2010)

Well in Texas we do have alot of warm weather even during our winter. I do not want to feed the whey to the girls if it will hurt them, but as far as being able to go poo then we have enough warm days for that. As far as them eating honey during witner, well we experienced what was refered to a 100 year drought. Not much around here bloomed and if it did it burned up pretty fast so I do not expect my bees who were packaged in April to have honey stored up. I did feed syrup but I do not think I feed them enough as on my last inspection only a few of the hives what would be considered enough.
I have been looking for a home made pollen sub recipe so that I can boost their numbers when I stumbled on the thought of feeding whey. Yes I know if I feed em pollen sub I will have to feed them over winter and I am 100% ok with that. Cattle men feed their cows hay during winter and a drought so I dont mind feeding my bees.
Thanks for the all help and feed back
Jason


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## BigDaddyDS (Aug 28, 2007)

I think I'd have to take a pass on whey powder.

Assuming the solids don't disrupt the digestion of your bees, what is the SOURCE of the whey? Soy proteins? Milk proteins? If soy, your bees may fair it a little better. If milk, it could poison your bees. Remember, lactose (milk sugars) is poisonous to bees!

http://www.beesource.com/resources/usda/considerations-in-selecting-sugars-for-feeding-to-honey-bees/

I don't want to discourage anyone from devising your own pollen substitute. Trying experiments is half the fun of beekeeping to me! But, with proper experimentation lies the responsibility to do proper research.

Good luck. And happy beekeeping!
DS


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## BEES4U (Oct 10, 2007)

Casein can be fed.

Bees fed casein showed consistently higher survival than those fed royal jelly or aloe pollen, regardless of P:C ratios.


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## Grant (Jun 12, 2004)

Feeding protein to bees in the winter is a good thing. Randy Oliver's work concluded that protein is effective against nosema. But, and this is the real kicker, not all protein is digestible to the bees.

Randy is very generous sharing his formulations at his web site.

Grant
Jackson, MO


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