Feed Bee Pollen Substitute- The Complex World Of Beekeeping
Many beekeepers may use a feed bee pollen substitute for their bees in particular circumstances. This may happen when there is a food shortage in the hive due to drought or for some other climatic reason. This could well be due to extreme climatic conditions when foraging is impossible to carry out. There may also be a reason to medicate the hive or to perform some other operation.
Hole in Antarctic Iceberg in 1997 - Too Cold For Bees!
Shortage of nectar
Usually the bee keeper will use a feed bee pollen substitute to replace a shortage of nectar for instance. The nectar that the bees bring back to the hive is used for air conditioning the hive and also as a substitute for water. It is also sometimes used to actually dilute the food for the brood.
Inspecting the hive
There will be inspections at different times of the year and for different purposes. In spring they tend to carry out inspections to check the food supply as we have mentioned above and later on as summer approaches, they may do an inspection for swarm control.
Usually if the hive has about twenty pounds of honey or sugar syrup then that should last them for a week or even ten days. In this period inspections need to be carried out every ten days or so.
Why sugar is important
Feeding them sugar is important because this helps with the laying of eggs and usually one part of water is used for every part of sugar. Sometimes medicated syrup has to be used.
Why the use of fructose corn syrup should be banned
There is a problem with beekeepers who are using a fructose corn syrup as a feed bee pollen substitute. It is now established that there is always an amount of HMF which stands for hydroxymethylfurfural which is basically toxic for bees. The issue here is that although the amounts may be minimal at the start, they tend to multiply over time with the heat of the hive. So instead of feeding them they may be quietly poisoning their colony!
Watch the video on feeding the honeybees
Any old sugar will do?
Some beekeepers are careless and gather up sugar from broken bags or sweepings which may actually contain insecticides and some soda syrups are past their sell by date . The problem here is that if these are fermenting in any way then the bees are liable to get drunk! Another threat from fermentation is the alcohol may be converted into acids so this is also toxic to the bees and they may simply die off.
As we have seen, the world of beekeeping is a complex one and it takes a lot of care, attention, training and also expense to keep the bees healthy.
This feed bee pollen substitute is just one element in the whole bee and bee pollen process but one which is essential to keeping the colony healthy and active so that it can produce this marvellous health supplement for us all and also pollinate most of the world’s crops.
