# Pollen mini experiment



## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I have. Eventually the tube was plugged with pollen being hauled out by the house keepeers. I wouldn't give them more than a teaspoon a day or so and keep an eye on the exit.

If you put #7 hardware cloth on the vents the pollen will fall through easier.


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## power napper (Apr 2, 2005)

Michael--the bees are hanging upside down eating the pollen above the screen as well as what falls through. The fresh frozen pollen was emptied by noon today, twice as fast as the dehydrated pollen.
Planning on drilling a hole into the bottom side of the observation hive to insert a small long tube (like an aluminum arrow shaft) to vacuum the pollen from the bottom or use a hooked wire to scrape the debris off the bottom.


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## Finman (Nov 5, 2004)

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Pollen is necessary for young bees which are going to winter. They are not as strong as well feeded. Nosema is one which attach easily to bees whic are not in good condition.

If hive has not pollen stores in frames situation is not good. 

read more here http://maarec.cas.psu.edu/bkCD/HBBiology/nutrition_supplements.htm

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## power napper (Apr 2, 2005)

I caused the problem Finman, my observation hive got robbed out and the ensueing struggle plugged the entrance tube, bees did not survive the onslaught. Restarted the observation hive with frame of brood with the queen and frame of honey from one of my hives. The robbers came and took the honey again, cold weather arrived, feeding the bees 2 to 1 sugar water and now pollen, the colony has a baseball sized patch of brood and seems to be okay so far. The bees have a good patch of nectar stores surrounding the brood but not much pollen yet.


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## Finman (Nov 5, 2004)

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Hi Power! If you have another hive you may take a pollen frame and give it to observation hive.

This autumn I hade in eight sites hives. In 2 sites they had not pollen when I repaired them for winter feeding. I took pollen frames from another hives.

If area had red clover, they got pollen whole autumn and they pollen store remain in combs.

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## power napper (Apr 2, 2005)

Hi Finman- I think my o hive will be okay now with the addition of the pollen feeding. I am down to twelve hives now in my bee yard awaiting winter, I took my losses and combined the weakest ones.
In previous dilemmas of hives without enough pollen we have just held an empty comb on its side and filled the cells with pollen then replaced into the needy hive--it works!


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## Finman (Nov 5, 2004)

If you want to make new experiment with your minihive, ry this:

I have wintered (experiment) 2-frame colonies over winter with 3 W terrarium heater in 3 years. It works fine. The result is only woth of extra queen in spring but it works. 

You take 2-3 capped frames from another hives, shake colony on them and you have nuc for next spring. This is just only for fun, not reasonable action.

Hives were in the fire wood shelter during winter. I opened hive and looked that warming is suitable. Winter ball should not be totally open. Only a little. 

One way is to put middle wall and heater in the empty part like here http://bees.freesuperhost.com/yabbfiles/Attachments/tiny.jpg


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## Frank Shinji (Jun 10, 2006)

My bees in the observation hive stopped taking pollen through the top screens a few days ago. Usually they will go through 4-5 heaping tablespoons/day.

Strangely one of my observation hives left! They seemed to have mostly moved over to the other observation hive that has it's entrance a few feet away. No clue what happened to the Queen. They left open honey but no brood. I'm sure most of them moved over to the other hive because it's almost twice as full now.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I see this with small nucs in the fall also. Some seem to sense that winter is upon them and they don't have enough bees to survive it and they move next door.


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## wayacoyote (Nov 3, 2003)

This reminds me of why I should want to build a large (at least 6 frames) Observation hive that is also easy to manipulate. That was an interesting idea with filling the frame with pollen, PN!

Waya


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## Scot Mc Pherson (Oct 12, 2001)

It seems many of us have bees without pollen this year. I also have not one single hive with pollen in it. I can't understand it, but it is so...I know others also are seeing this right now.


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## Finman (Nov 5, 2004)

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If hives have lack of pollen over winter it is better to feed in spring colonies. I use irradiated pollen + yeast + soya flour.

http://www.rirdc.gov.au/reports/HBE/05-054.pdf

4 years ago in Northern Europe we lost huge amount colonies in winter. The basic reason was probably dry autumn and bees get not enough pollen before winter. It happened in Germany, Finland and Sweden.


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## power napper (Apr 2, 2005)

I will strive to remember to really check any winter deadouts for pollen reserves from now on, I never really investigated all my deadouts to see if all had pollen reserves.


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## Finman (Nov 5, 2004)

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Bees will over winter without pollen. That is not problem. Bees need a lot pollen after they have emerged. Italian bees use to eat their pollen stores off before winter. 

Pollen reserves are needed when bees start to raise their brood in late winter. If they have not pollen, they need to wait that nature start to give it a lot. 

Bees may break off their own body protein in some measure, but not far.


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