Bees on the bird seed feeder

[Aint Bee]

This seems strange to me, but the bees are going to my bird feeder and collecting the flour-like dust on the seed, and hauling it like pollen to the hive.   They get so covered with the dust they even have trouble flying.   I decided to take the feeder away from them over concerns about possible treatment of the seed with a fungicide during processing.  Has anyone ever seen this behavior?   Maybe my bees have delusions of bird-grandeur or some form of identity confusion?

[wildbeekeeper]

they are looking for any protein source they can get this time of year - and the dust rom the bird seed is just that... as close as they will get to pollen.

[splitrock]

Yep, mine are still loading up with grain dust from the cracked corn out of the beef feeder every chance they get.

Joel

[sc-bee]

It's pretty common for folks that watch their bird feeders. When you see this occuring it is a great time to put out a dry pollen supplement. At least in my location and region.

[Michael Bach]

My bees invad my woodshop every chance they get.  They load up on saw dust and off they go.

[kingbee]

... This seems strange... but the bees are going to my bird feeder and collecting the flour-like dust on the seed, and hauling it like pollen to the hive... They get so covered with the dust they even have trouble flying...

Maybe instead of taking a resource away from your bees you should look into giving them one, a pollen substitute.  They seem to really want to get with the program of making you a lot of honey (providing the weather cooperates) why not help them?