Nutrition Management for Robust Populations Nutrition Management for Robust Populations-We will look at what bees eat and the effects of nutrition on colony health. We will finish with how to identify nectar and pollen flows, stored resources and feeding strategies to avoid nutritional stress.   Lance Wilson Certified Master Beekeeper-GMBP

Disclaimer This is the way I keep bees Need to tailor what you learn from all sources to your area and personal philosophy of beekeeping Only thing that matters is what works for you I will be adjusting the fonts and sizes…..not sure what displays well.

The Beekeeping Prime Directive Maximize The Adult Population

Maximize the adult population Prevents disease expression Increases honey production Insures against SHB or wax moth infestation Promotes winter survival I will change this up a bit

C.L. Farrar-Larger is Better 30K 30K 60K 53% Increase

The Big Picture Most important concept…..very different from what was though historically

Nutrition Management Increase brood production, allow them to tolerate poisons and boost tolerance to pathogens and parasites. photo sciencedaily.com

What do bees eat? Need energy, vitamins, minerals, proteins and sterols. They get all of this from just two things- nectar and Pollen Energy Everything Else

What do bees eat? vitamins, minerals, proteins and sterols Pollen Crude protein about 10-30% vitamins, minerals, proteins and sterols Essential for brood production Increases immunocompetency -add

Polyfloral Need10 essential amino acids Strategy is to collect from multiple sources

Bee Bread Honey has been mixed with the pollen and enzymes and bacteria added creating lactic acid fermenting the pollen. This is thought to preserve the pollen and create by products that are nutritious.

Skinny Bee and fat bee Low Vitellogenin High Vitellogenin Increases longevity and boosts immunocompentency Photo Keller2005

Nectar Nectar 10-50% sucrose (sugar) Provides the carbohydrates (energy) Store in the form of honey Need 15LBs stored at all times or will shut down

How do you know when to feed?

Your bees always need to eat Coming in Stored Both is better -In the winter, little brood but they need resources to produce heat -When they are producing brood they are always feeding -Randy Oliver while it is raining story Your bees always need to eat

Assess foraging and food stores First access food stores and foraging

Nest architecture Hive Honey Pollen Brood

Do they have pollen stored?

Do they have honey stored? You need 15lbs of honey stored or you need to feed One deep frame is 5lbs so 3 deep One medium frame is 3lbs so 5 mediums Do they have honey stored?

How do you Tell if you are in a flow?

How do you tell if you are in a flow? Get a feel for nectar flow calendar Lot of foraging activity Much nectar being added Much white wax being produced Top bar whitening Nectar processing fragrance Nectar in brood area

Pollen flow are easy to recognize

How do you know when to feed? No pollen coming in and none stored No incoming nectar or less than 15lbs Guard bees dearth indicator Pollen in the morning

Signs of abundant resources

Stimulative feeding in spring Nectar Flow HIGH Bee Population Boost early production in time for honey flow….light syrup -Brooding up in early spring is when they starve LOW Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Winter feeding strategy in fall Nectar Flow HIGH Bee Population Feed to create fat winter bees to stabilize the winter population LOW Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

What do you feed? Sugar syrup No more than they can eat in 5 days Clean container before every feeding Make sure they are not backfilling! 1/1 to stimulate ….2/1 to prevent starvation Should talk about the type of feeder here, pail more simulative

Feeders

Pail Feeder

What do you feed? Pollen substitute Close to brood area No more than they can eat in a week Need to check on viability of sub over time

How do you feed?

What happens IF you need to feed but don’t

Pollen dearths Queen lowers egg laying

Pollen Dearths Cannibalizes larvae Thresholds to succumb come to pesticides are disease are also dramatically lowered

Timing is everything

Recommended www.scientificbeekeeping.com List of books, websites, etc.

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