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Colonies need a huge store pollen in the fall.
First, pollen shortage in nature tells that bees summer is over.
Still bees rear winterbees, and they use existing pollen stores to do that.
When new bees emerbge, they need pollen to end the growing process. Druring first 3-4 days they eate much pollen.
Wintering bees must have a good pollen stode to be good winterers. They accumulate proteinto their fat bodies.
Main reason to nosema is poor pollen storages before winter.
In spring bees cannot start brooding if they have lack of pollen. They must wait first flowers.
If you put one frame of pollen after cleansing flight, the colony gets a good kick up for brood rearing.
Best way to give pollen is to let them store pollen into frames and then take for spring some pollen frames.
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Whats the best way to keep these frames? Freeze them?
Quote from: Finski on August 22, 2011, 02:08:49 AM
Colonies need a huge store pollen in the fall.
...
Main reason to nosema is poor pollen storages before winter.
Quote from: Michael Bush on August 18, 2011, 09:20:15 PM
I try to leave them nothing but honey if I can. They will get dysentary in a long winter no matter what they eat, but it's usually caused by pollen (and brood rearing),
http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php/topic,34395.msg283760.html#msg283760 (http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php/topic,34395.msg283760.html#msg283760)
Finski: In a standard 2-deep Langstroth, how much pollen do you try to leave? I have a couple of hives that have stored almost a full deep of pollen and was thinking of pulling some for next spring, but wasn't sure how much to leave them with.