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Comment by Diana Calkins on February 23, 2013 at 8:26pm

Windy up here today, so no hive activity.  At one point today it was warm enough to check on the pollen substitute we put in last Saturday, but the wind stopped that.  Supposed to be windy again tomorrow.  Our elm trees are beginning to come out of dormancy here at 6800 feet, so I image yours are way ahead of us.  Maybe that's what they are feeding on.  Do you have willows?  They love willows.

Comment by James H DAWDY on February 23, 2013 at 7:37pm

Lots of activity from my hive, still taking pollen sub, but they don't seem to be too interested in some sugar near the hive.  Also, a small amount of honey was left out about 50 feet away, and they dont seem too interested in it either.  What could they be feeding on at this time?

Comment by Diana Calkins on February 16, 2013 at 12:06pm

Thanks!  I'll check out the ebook, too.

Comment by James H DAWDY on February 16, 2013 at 11:44am

No, just a tablespoon of water or so to make it a little clumped up.  I doubt even that is necessary.  However, there is a lot of information in the ebook Fat Bee Skinny Bee (google it) from Australia which talks about pollen sub.  Basically, a lot of recipes call for mixing it with honey or syrup, which the book describes as "An expensive way to feed your bees syrup".  My thought is that by just leaving out the soy/yeast, if they feel like they need it, they'll take it, and if they don't need it they'll leave it alone.  Theres even a picture in the book of a drum of soy flour dumped out on the ground of the apiary.  So I trust the bees to find what they need.

Comment by Diana Calkins on February 16, 2013 at 11:38am

James, do you add anything to your pollen substitute other than the soy flour and baker's yeast?

Comment by Diana Calkins on February 16, 2013 at 7:53am

I showed the mesquite picture to my husband, who has lived here in the Sacramento's nearly his entire life.  He said that he's never seen the mesquite bushes that we have around here, which are different from mesquite trees, ever have blooms like that.  Just for the heck of it, we will make it a point to take notice this year.

He also said that when he was a kid, he noticed that the cottonwood trees would form a cover over the leaves before the leaves came out.  This cover has a sticky substance on it just before the leaves break through, and it tastes sort of spicy.  Just now, he brought one in to show me.  They haven't become sticky on the exterior yet because the leaf is not ready to break through.  He broke one open and there is a waxy substance between the cover and the leaf.  With heat applied (he put it against our wood stove), it even melts like wax.

This info my not be relevant to the previous discussion, but it could be.  :)

Comment by Phill Remick on February 16, 2013 at 6:31am

Here is something to scan it may add some insight as to whether cottonwood trees produce nectar: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_nectar_sources_for_honey_bees

second your claim that mesquite trees do not flower.  here is a search under 'image of mesquite tree flowering ' on google:http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view?p=mesquite+tree+flowers&...

I really don't wish to discuss this any further.

Comment by Paul McCarty on February 15, 2013 at 9:41pm

No flowers on mesquites either. Just long "hangy" things. Like it or not, the cottonwood is listed as a minor honey plant. It is actually a major pollen plant for NM.

All the honey I have ever seen that I suspected coming from them was dark and nasty though. Better Winter bee food. Best left for the bees - like Plums... at least my plums.

Comment by James H DAWDY on February 15, 2013 at 8:43pm

Diana- I was seeing the same light/creamy colored pollen last week.  Not so much since we had a bit of a cold snap though.  I suspect it's Elm...lots of Elm here in Deming.

Comment by Phill Remick on February 15, 2013 at 8:33pm

So, WHERE do they get this nectar from?  There are no flowers on the cottonwood tree..If these trees were in fact a nectar source all of New Mexico would enjoy it's bounty, sorry I ain't buyin'

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