Feeding Pollen for Winter

[L Daxon]

I know you are not supposed to feed honey from unknown sources to your bees (i.e. stuff you might have purchased or been given) because it could carry disease (AFB, EFB, etc).  But what about pollen?  I would assume the same would apply.

But what if the pollen had been frozen a couple months.  I bought some pollen at the state fair for me but while inspecting my hives today I noticed the girls seemed to be low on pollen.  Could I feed them back the stuff in my freezer without fear of spreading disease? 

[AllenF]

Foulbrood is spread from spores.   Freezing will not kill them, only heat/radiation.  If you think they need pollen try patties.  But they promote growth in numbers.   This is the wrong time of the year for that.  Most people put pollen patties on the hive in lat Feb. March, and April for spring growth.  But SHB love the stuff also. 

[L Daxon]

If heat will kill the spores could I bake or microwave the pollen?  I was going to mix the pollen into some grease patties I am leaving on for the winter. 

I thought they had lots of pollen a couple of weeks ago.  I've been feeding heavily.  Could the girls have put the syrup in on top of the pollen and capped it?

[Kathyp]

they don't really need a bunch of pollen over winter.  pollen is for brood and they should be backing off the brood production about now.  all it does over winter is grow mold.  :-)