What do you all use to make your pollen patties? I just mixed a bunch of pollen and honey from last year. I made it very thick, pressed it between 2 sheets of wax paper then peeled off the wax paper and left the patty on the top bars. The bees took to it very quickly.
The recipes that I have read about it always seem to use pollen substitute, soy, sugar, sugar syrup etc. etc. Why not just use what the bees eat naturally?
Your thoughts...
>I just mixed a bunch of pollen and honey from last year. I made it very thick, pressed it between 2 sheets of wax paper then peeled off the wax paper and left the patty on the top bars.
I do that except I leave the wax paper on and just make a cut in it.
I know this is an old thread but the topic is an annual concern, especially for those of us in the land of Santa and Rudolph.
Was concerned as the girls are up and out when the weather is warm but there's nothing growing yet. They've had honey and candy all winter but in hopes of encouaging brood I gave them pollen patties using a recipe from a book by C. Marina Marchese entitled 'Honeybee'. Very simply written ... perhaps disarming in it's simplicity. Full of good advice I have gone to it again and again. (Been reading it all winter the way I tie flies and dream of fishing)
Am hoping to build my library and welcome pm's of your favorite resources.
I would gladly use pollen from my own bees but I don't have any. I do eat pollen but it's from Alberta. I have been advised that pollen from unknown soures may contain FB.
Here it is, feel free to critique. (finski, I know you'll have a better way!)
dry ingredients
1.5 cups fat free soy flour
1.5 cups brewers yeast
1 tsp spearment or tea tree oil (food grade)
sugar syrup
If you want the recipe pm me and I'll send it over. Remember I'm sharing this from Marina's book.
Marina if you're listening hope you don't mind!
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Yes, I have written here too much about issue.
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Quote from: Finski on March 11, 2013, 02:19:05 PM
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Yes, I have written here too much about issue.
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Finski, I apologize if I have not seen all your posts yet!
Please believe me when I say I am reading lots of old threads every day.