Feeding Bees When And How

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Feeding Bees- When And How

• Clarence H. Collison
• Entomologist
• Mississippi State University

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Honey Bee Diet

• Pollen
• Nectar or Honey
• Water

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Water Is A Vital Component In The Honey Bee Diet
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Water

• Carrying Dissolved Food Materials To All Parts Of
  The Body
• Assists In The Removal Of Waste Products
• Involved In Digesting And Metabolizing Food

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NectarCarbohydrate SourceEnergy Supply
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Pollen

• Protein
• Amino Acids
• Minerals
• Vitamins
• Fats
• Sterols

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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

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SucroseGlucose (Dextrose)Fructose (Levulose)
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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

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Extended Brood Rearing Is Not Possible Unless
Pollen Or An Appropriate Source Of Protein And
Vitamins Are Available
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Honey Bees Can Live On A Pure Carbohydrate Diet
For Extended Periods Of TimeBees Are Unable To
Use Pollen As An Energy Source
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1 Cell Of Honey1000 Cells 1 lb. Honey1 lb.
Honey 1000 Bees150-175 lbs./Year
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1 lb. Pollen 4500 Bees100 lbs./Year
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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

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Anytime Less Than Three Full Frames Of Honey, The
Colony Should Be Fed
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Do Not Feed Brown Sugar Or Molasses
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Sugar Candy

• 15 Pounds Of Sugar
• 3 Pounds Of Glucose Or White Corn Syrup
• 4 Cups Of Water
• ½ tsp. Cream Of Tartar

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242 F-------180 F
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Sugar Syrup21SugarWater
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Sugar Syrup1 ½ 1SugarWater
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How Long Do You Need To Feed A Colony Sugar Syrup?
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High Fructose Corn Syrup55 Fructose42
Fructose
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Pollen SupplementPollen Substitute
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1 Pollen Cake2 oz. Pollen5.5 oz. Water10.5
oz. Sugar6 oz. Soybean Flour
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32 Pollen Cakes4 lbs. Pollen11 lbs. Water21
lbs. Sugar12 lbs. Soybean Flour
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Pollen Substitutes

• Bee Pro Is A Soy Meal Based Diet
• Feed Bee Is A Non-Soy Based Diet
• MegaBee The Tucson Bee Diet

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Pollen Trapping

• To Have A Source Of Pollen To Feed Back To Bees
  When Colonies Have A Shortage Of Protein

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Pollen Traps Vary In Design And Positioning On
The Colony
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Three Basic Types Of Pollen Traps

• Bottom Mounted
• Front Mounted
• Brood-Chamber Mounted

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Traps Mounted At The Top Of The Hive Will Produce
The Cleanest Pollen
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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

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---------- 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
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To Be Effective, All Entrances Of Hive Must Be
Closed.Pollen Should Be Trapped Only From
Strong, Disease-Free ColoniesAllow Free Flight
During Major Honey Flow
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Pollen Traps Are Not 100 Efficient
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Best To Trap Pollen In Your Back Yard So You Can
Empty Traps DailyTraps Will Collect .25-.50
Pounds/Day(Not During Honey Flow)
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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

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Dried Pollen Gradually Loses Palatability And
Nutritional ValueTrapped Pollen Can Be Mixed In
Sugar (2 Parts Pollen 1 Part Granulated Sugar)
And Packed Tightly In Sealed Containers