Simplistically you’ll be able to bring to mind pollen and nectar because the development subject matter to ‘make’ new bees, and the gas that permits them to serve as.
In fact, it is a little extra sophisticated than that.
Nectar is the main supply of carbohydrates within the type of sugars – glucose, sucrose and fructose – wanted for process, flight, and (thru thoracic muscle contraction with out flying) thermoregulation of the nest.
Pollen essentially supplies the protein and amino acids wanted for enlargement, but in addition incorporates very important fat, minerals and nutrients. Those are essential for brood building, however also are wanted by means of grownup bees.
Over a century in the past, Huber had concluded that colonies may just now not rear brood within the absence of pollen, regardless that this conclusion used to be contentious. This used to be additional investigated by means of Haydak (1935) who maintained colonies in flight cages and monitored brood manufacturing after removing of all pollen from the cage.
Haydak used a greenhouse, I have used poly tunnels lined in insect-proof netting. Colonies don’t thrive in those stipulations however – with care and just right vitamin – can also be saved for a complete season and overwintered.
Haydak demonstrated that brood rearing within the absence of pollen used to be imaginable, however just for moderately brief sessions. After a fortnight, any new larvae produced have been cannibalised after handiest 2-3 days of building {{1}}.
Wintry weather bee manufacturing
Within the submit ultimate week I mentioned the timing of the manufacturing of wintry weather bees and advised that environmental pollen availability used to be the main determinant.
As summer time segues into autumn, pollen more and more turns into proscribing; there are fewer flowering crops and bushes, and the climatic stipulations are much less just right for foraging {{2}}. Brood rearing slows and, relying upon latitude and the specific season, might forestall altogether.
The colony – it is bees, saved carbohydrates (honey) and protein (pollen) – then stay hunkered down during the wintry weather till stipulations give a boost to the next Spring when colony enlargement can get started once more.
So, if pollen is very important for brood rearing, what are the sensible implications for beekeeping when it comes to the timing of autumn miticide remedy and the manufacturing of robust colonies in early Spring? And, if there are sensible implications {{3}}, are there advantages to be won from the addition of pollen?
And, if there are, how is that this absolute best accomplished?
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