Making bee bread

[kalium]

Has anyone ever tried making their own 'bee bread' (for feedback to the bees) ?

I've seen a recipe before of pollen, honey, water and small amount of lactic acid bacteria,
left to sit for several days at different temps.

The apparent advantage is the nutritional quality of the pollen does not degrade (as opposed to drying),
it lasts many years, and does not need to be in a freezer.

Cheers

[BeeMaster2]

Has anyone ever tried making their own 'bee bread' (for feedback to the bees) ?

I've seen a recipe before of pollen, honey, water and small amount of lactic acid bacteria,
left to sit for several days at different temps.

The apparent advantage is the nutritional quality of the pollen does not degrade (as opposed to drying),
it lasts many years, and does not need to be in a freezer.

Cheers

Kalium,
What you are describing is exactly what is happening in your hive. The reason you add the lactic acid is to cause this mixture to break down,(controlled) I think it takes 7 days. The lactic acid breaks down the pollen so the bees can digest it and the acid is being broke down to the point that it no longer is an acid and the mixture is very stable.
Jim

[kalium]

Has anyone ever tried making their own 'bee bread' (for feedback to the bees) ?

I've seen a recipe before of pollen, honey, water and small amount of lactic acid bacteria,
left to sit for several days at different temps.

The apparent advantage is the nutritional quality of the pollen does not degrade (as opposed to drying),
it lasts many years, and does not need to be in a freezer.

Cheers

Kalium,
What you are describing is exactly what is happening in your hive. The reason you add the lactic acid is to cause this mixture to break down,(controlled) I think it takes 7 days. The lactic acid breaks down the pollen so the bees can digest it and the acid is being broke down to the point that it no longer is an acid and the mixture is very stable.
Jim

Exactly, and in fact I think you can use some bee bread made by the bees as the starter culture for the process of making your own.

So I'm curious if anyone has done it themselves, and to what degree of success.  It seems to me to offer some advantages (i.e
no need for a freezer, no drop in nutrient quality, very long shelf life) but I've never heard of people actually doing it.

[BeeMaster2]

If you leave it out, the moths and SHB will find it and produce thousands of offspring. If you end up with a few of their eggs in it and just seal it you will have the same problem. I would keep it frozen.
Jim

[Michael Bush]

I let the bees do the work...