Get irradiated pollen or not?

[tlozo]

I was planning to get some pollen for Spring feeding this year. Do you try to buy irradiated so that there is no disease transmitted? Also, I have dry sugar on a newspaper on the hives, can I just pour some pollen on the edge of the sugar in the Spring?

[Michael Bush]

>I was planning to get some pollen for Spring feeding this year. Do you try to buy irradiated so that there is no disease transmitted?

It's a pro and a con.  On the one hand there are bacteria in the pollen that help the bees digest it, on the other hand there could be chalkbrood spores in the pollen...

> Also, I have dry sugar on a newspaper on the hives, can I just pour some pollen on the edge of the sugar in the Spring?

If you're putting it in the hive I'd mix it with honey or syrup to make a stiff dough and roll it between waxed paper.  If you're feeding it as pollen and not patties, I'd put it in an empty hive preferably on screen above a solid bottom (I just put a screened bottom board on top of a solid bottom board and put the pollen on the screen).

[BjornBee]

I was planning to get some pollen for Spring feeding this year. Do you try to buy irradiated so that there is no disease transmitted? Also, I have dry sugar on a newspaper on the hives, can I just pour some pollen on the edge of the sugar in the Spring?

Supplemental feeding is for a short time "fix' to either help hives that are short on reserves or for stimulating and sustaining early brood production prior to natural pollen is coming in. With that said, there are many supplements that will be adequate.

At this point, with the experiences I have encountered in the past two years when it comes to pollen on the market, I might just be more inclined to buy a product without pollen like beepro patties from MannLake.

[Cindi]

At this point, with the experiences I have encountered in the past two years when it comes to pollen on the market, I might just be more inclined to buy a product without pollen like beepro.

That sounds like a mystery, why don't you elaborate?  Beautiful day, great life and health.  Cindi

Why don't you gather your own?