Pollen Substitute - Beekeeping Supplies Protective Clothing Beekeeping Equipment

Pollen Substitute

A pollen substitute is a high-protein mixture that can adequately replace pollen in the honeybee's diet, and typically includes such ingredients as soybean flour, powdered skim milk and brewer's yeast. A pollen substitute is usually a honeybee diet mixture that contains no pollen. A pollen supplement is a diet that usually contains from 2 to 25 percent pollen.

See also: Pollen Substitutes vs. Supplements

Substitutes are used in place of pollen to stimulate brood rearing in periods of pollen shortage, such as early spring or during a drought. Pollen substitutes are also needed during the first two weeks after installing a package of bees or a swarm in an empty hive. Pollen substitutes are generally preferable to pollen supplements, as they contain more complete nutrition. A high-quality pollen substitute is a high-nutrition mixture that supplies all the complete proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals the colony needs to produce food for the developing larvae. Pollen substitutes are most useful for strengthening colony populations in later winter or early spring, as its use, in combination with sugar syrup, increases brood production early in the year.

Preparing the Bucket Feeder for Dry Feeding
Pollen substitute may be fed in dry form if you have an external feeder, such as a bucket feeder. You may also feed pollen substitute in the form of patties. Use a high-quality pollen substitute, such as Mann Lake's Bee-Pro. It is best to store it in the freezer until you are ready to use it, since it may contain weevils or beetles. Perform the following steps to prepare a bucket feeder for administering dry pollen or sugar feed.

	*Step 1 - Assemble the feeder* Install the base - a wooden post You will use a wooden post as a base for your feeder bucket, such as a 4"x6' landscaping timber. It needs to be wooden so you can easily install the feeder in a way that will be durable and serviceable for a long time. The post should be treated so it is resistant to weather and termites. Dig a hole so the post is buried at least 18" deep in the ground, generally the deeper the better to ensure stability, and level the post before packing rocks and dirt around the base. Install the feeder bucket You need a 5-gallon plastic bucket as the protective covering for your feed. These are available at most home-supply or hardware stores. Affix the bucket to the top of the post with a nail, secured by a large washer to ensure stability and to prevent the bucket from tearing free from the nail and falling off. Nail the bucket to the post through the washer so the bucket opening faces the hives and the bucket hangs over the side of the post, with the nail through the side of the bucket near its bottom. The bottom of the bucket should be almost flush with the far side of the post. Refer to the picture in Step 3 for an illustration of how the bucket should be installed. You may spray-paint the outside of the bucket bright yellow or bright blue, as these colors are attractive to honeybees. Select a cardboard feeder box Choose a box that will easily fit completely within the bucket, in which you will place your pollen substitute, pollen supplement or dry sugar feed.
	*Step 2 - Prepare the feeder box* Remove the flaps from the top of the box and cut out one end, as shown here. Cut the flaps into squares and tape the squares together to use as grooming blocks. Wooden blocks also work fine. Pour the pollen or sugar feed into the back of the box. Place the grooming blocks on top of the feed. Place the box inside the feeder and push it all the way to the back. Using duct tape or shipping tape, secure each side of the box to the side of the bucket, as shown in Step 3, to keep the box from slipping out of the bucket over time.
	Step 3 - Observe the bees The bees will soon notice your feed. If they do not, and you cannot see them carrying pollen into the hive or you are enduring a nectar dearth, incite their interest by taking a very small amount of feed in your hand and sprinkling it onto the bottom board in the entrance.

Note: If your hives are infested with Small Hive Beetles (SHB), you should immediately remove and discontinue using all supplemental food inside the hives, including sugar syrup, grease patties, extender patties and pollen patties. The syrup and patties are a rich food source for the beetles, encouraging their rapid spread throughout the honeybee colony. The presence of supplemental food within the hive makes SHB control very difficult and endangers both honey production and the colony's survival. A better alternative is to use an external bucket feeder for dry feeding, in or near the apiary, which may be used to administer dry sugar, pollen substitutes and terramycin soluble powder.

Feeding and Watering
Honeybee Medications
Preparing to Visit the Apiary
Opening and Inspecting the Hive
Opening and Feeding the Hive
Pollen Substitutes vs. Supplements
Pollen Supplement
Small Hive Beetles (SHB)