How long will pollen last.

[Dr. B in Wisconsin]

Hello everyone
I have some frames that have been in the frig all winter with some pollen in the comb
My question is how long will the pollen be good for under these conditions, how fast will it degrade?
Thanks

[MikeyN.C.]

I think, if in icebox thru winter
Bees should clean as needed.

[Van, Arkansas, USA]

Dr. B, greeting.  I presume you are texting of bee bread, not actual pollen, rather pollen that has had enzymes and antioxidants to stabilize the proteins.  Bee bread is bacterial static, not a good food source.  However, mold and fungus are contenders for the proteins and will degrade.  Your lowering the temperature will maintain the integrity of the beebread for a length of time that I have to GUESS at over one year.  The color of the pollen is important, gray indicates the integrity has been compromised, smell should be neutral. 

This is very important:  Smell and color should confirm integrity or lack thereof.

We understand that when the beebread is combined with nectar with moisture below 18% and stabilized seconds prior to capping that the new product HONEY has an infinite life span.  Infinite defined in this case as 4,000 years as proved by the tombs of Egypt.  Beebread is not capped therefore not a final finished product as Honey however beebread is also fed to developing larva.
Blessings

[Acebird]

Hello everyone
I have some frames that have been in the frig all winter with some pollen in the comb
My question is how long will the pollen be good for under these conditions, how fast will it degrade?
Thanks

It might be better then corn but how "good" it is doesn't matter.  If the bees don't have access to something better they will use it otherwise pollen sub/protein patties would be useless.  Nothing man made or nothing left over will be used if the bees have access to fresh pollen.  It is like your wife throwing out your necco wafers in the back of the cupboard.

[tjc1]

It is like your wife throwing out your necco wafers in the back of the cupboard.

 

[beepro]

You can put some in the hives to see if they take it or throw them out.  If they don't
use it because of new pollen coming in they will dispose of the old pollen.  Clean up the
frames ready for the new stuffs.  So don't wait too long to get rid of the old.

[Acebird]

It is a complete waste of time for a beekeeper to clean up a frame of pollen.  Nurse bees will clean a frame in less then a day.  I have seen it 3/4+ high in the tray in between the frames.  They will also not destroy the wax like you will.

[tjc1]

I think that Beepro meant that the bees will clean the frames to make them ready for fresh pollen stores.

[Acebird]

Yeah, I think you are right.  sorry Beepro.

[beepro]

Sorry, Ace.  My writing is not too clear.  Yes, the bees will clean them out if they
don't use the old pollen.   One method of cleaning out old pollen is to dehydrate them
inside a cardboard box at 80F.   After the pollen shrink down you can knock them out off the
cells.  Or allow the bees to clean out the dry pollen.    Another method is to soak the entire pollen
frame in a 5 gal. bucket of water.  This is more messy though.   After the soaking you have to use a
hose with water to knock the soft pollen out of the cells.    I rather let the bees do the cleaning!