Feeding Bees- When
And How
Clarence H. Collison
Entomologist
Mississippi State University
Honey Bee Diet
Pollen
Nectar or Honey
Water
Water Is A Vital
Component In The
Honey Bee Diet
Water
Carrying Dissolved Food Materials
To All Parts Of The Body
Assists In The Removal Of Waste
Products
Involved In Digesting And
Metabolizing Food
Nectar
Carbohydrate Source
“Energy Supply”
Pollen
Protein
Amino Acids
Minerals
Vitamins
Fats
Sterols
Protein Content Of Pollens Varies
From 10-36%
Not All Pollens Are Nutritionally Alike
Bees Generally Collect And Utilize A
Mixture Of Pollens
Many Individual Pollens Are
Nutritionally Inadequate, Lacking In
Certain Amino Acids Required By Bees
Sucrose
Glucose (Dextrose)
Fructose (Levulose)
Nectar And Pollen Not Available
Sweet-Tasting Juices From Overripe
Fruit And Plant Exudates
Collect Honeydew And Store It As
Honey
Rob Birdfeeders
Collect Grain From Animal Mangers
Coal Dust, Caulking From Windows
Extended Brood Rearing Is Not
Possible Unless Pollen Or An
Appropriate Source Of Protein
And Vitamins Are Available
Honey Bees Can Live On A Pure
Carbohydrate Diet For Extended
Periods Of Time
Bees Are Unable To Use Pollen
As An Energy Source
1 Cell Of Honey
1000 Cells= 1 lb. Honey
1 lb. Honey= 1000 Bees
150-175 lbs./Year
1 lb. Pollen = 4500 Bees
100 lbs./Year
If Young Workers Do Not
Consume Needed Proteins
Brood Food Glands Will Not Develop
Completely
Their Royal Jelly Will Not Support
Normal Growth And Development Of
Larvae
Will Not Support Egg Production In
The Queen
Anytime Less Than Three Full
Frames Of Honey, The Colony
Should Be Fed
Do Not Feed Brown Sugar
Or Molasses
Sugar Candy
15 Pounds Of Sugar
3 Pounds Of Glucose Or White
Corn Syrup
4 Cups Of Water
½ tsp. Cream Of Tartar
242° F-------180° F
Sugar Syrup
2:1
Sugar:Water
Sugar Syrup
1½:1
Sugar:Water
How Long Do You Need
To Feed A Colony Sugar
Syrup?
High Fructose Corn
Syrup
55% Fructose
42% Fructose
Pollen Supplement
Pollen Substitute
1 Pollen Cake
2 oz. Pollen
5.5 oz. Water
10.5 oz. Sugar
6 oz. Soybean Flour
32 Pollen Cakes
4 lbs. Pollen
11 lbs. Water
21 lbs. Sugar
12 lbs. Soybean Flour
Pollen Substitutes
Bee Pro® Is A Soy Meal Based Diet
Feed Bee® Is A Non-Soy Based Diet
MegaBee™ The Tucson Bee Diet
Pollen Trapping
To Have A Source Of Pollen To
Feed Back To Bees When Colonies
Have A Shortage Of Protein
Pollen Traps Vary In Design And
Positioning On The Colony
Three Basic Types Of
Pollen Traps
Bottom Mounted
Front Mounted
Brood-Chamber Mounted
Traps Mounted At The
Top Of The Hive Will
Produce The Cleanest
Pollen
All Pollen Traps Operate On The
Same Principle
As Bees Enter The Hive, They Are Forced
To Pass Through Wire Grids
Pollen Pellets Are Stripped From Their Hind
Legs
Pollen Falls Through A Grid Or Screen Into
A Collecting Chamber Below
---------- 5 Mesh Hardware Cloth
---------- (1 or 2 Layers, 3/16-1/4
Inch Apart)
---------- 7 or 8 Mesh Hardware Cloth
(Keeps Bees Out Of Pollen)
_______ Cloth, Window Screen
To Be Effective, All Entrances Of
Hive Must Be Closed.
Pollen Should Be Trapped Only
From Strong, Disease-Free
Colonies
Allow Free Flight During Major
Honey Flow
Pollen Traps Are Not 100%
Efficient
Best To Trap Pollen In Your
Back Yard So You Can Empty
Traps Daily
Traps Will Collect .25-.50
Pounds/Day
(Not During Honey Flow)
Freshly Trapped Pollen Is
Perishable
Pollen Should Be Dried Or Frozen To
Prevent Development Of Molds
Place Pollen In Paper Bags And Freeze
Dry Pollen At Room Temperature Or In The
Sun
Dried Pollen Can Be Placed In Airtight
Glass Or Metal Containers
Dried Pollen Gradually Loses
Palatability And Nutritional
Value
Trapped Pollen Can Be Mixed In
Sugar (2 Parts Pollen: 1 Part
Granulated Sugar) And Packed
Tightly In Sealed Containers