Benefits of Pollen

Since bee pollen derives from plant origin its chemical composition will vary somewhat depending on plant source, season and geographic location. Approximately 50% of its structure comprises polysaccharides (carbohydrates), followed by 35% amino acids and proteins, 2% fatty acids and 3% minerals and vitamins.

Bee pollen is denser in protein than any source from animals. This can provide a much safer source of protein without the worry of high intakes of saturated fats (not to mention the numerous established links between animal proteins and cancer).

Bee pollen is a concentrated source of the B vitamin complex – this provides energy. This is why bee pollen products are usually marketed as energy supplements or ‘energizers’.

The vitamin B complex, along with vitamins A, C, D, E, selenium, lecithin and powerful phytochemicals (carotenoids and bioflavonoids) make bee pollen a potent source of antioxidants.

Besides being most well known as a natural energy booster, bee pollen supplements are also popular as weight loss products. The pollen acts on the hypothalamus in the brain which controls dietary drive and this leads to a feeling of fullness. Appetite is naturally suppressed! Additionally, bee pollen contains lecithin which both stimulates and normalizes poor metabolism, and aids in dissolution of body fats.

Bee pollen is popular with athletes because it is believed to positively impact on endurance, strength, and speed. A common belief is that bee pollen enhances recovery from a training load and improves endurance for repeat exertion.

Collecting Pollen

Before I started beekeeping I was taking pollen for a source of vitamins and minerals.  I did it cause I read that beekeepers would take pollen to help get immune to their stings so they wouldn't have a allergic reaction.  For now I only have one trap, so I have it on my strongest hive.  For the past two days I have left it on for about 6 hours each day.  And this is what I got.

Here is a closeup shot of the pollen.

I'm hoping to be able to market this and sell it either in glass muth jars or in bags like this one. 

Check up

Went in and checked the girls and they are doing good. But one of my hives has decided to make 2 queen cells. So in the next day or so I will Add more sugar water and go in and kill those queen cells. Also I will be swapping positions of the hives so that the weak hive will hopefully become stronger.

Bringing the Girls Home

So this past Saturday I got my Bee Packages. And here is the install process.

This is one of my packages of bees.  Inside this there is a can of sugar water and the queen that is in her own cage.

Here is a better pic of the Packaged Bees.  Hey dad what do ya think?

Time to suit up. Here is dad aka camera guy putting on his Vail.

Here I am getting the Hives ready for the bees.  I removed several frames so I could pour the bees in.  This is a 10 frame hive.

I pulled the can of sugar water out so I can pour the bees in.   While doing this I realized that the queen cage wasn't attached to the strap and had fallen in the package of bees.  No big deal just have to go fishing for the cage when i pour them in the hive.

Here I am pouring the bees in.  Now if this doesn't get your adrenaline going I don't know what would.  So after I poured the bees in I had to go dig for the queen.

Here is the queen cage.  I used a rubber band to attach her cage to a frame with the candy side up.

Added all the frames.  You can see the rubber band that is holding the queen cage on the frame.

Here I added the feeder for the bees.  It holds the sugar water that is a 1:1 ratio of water to sugar. 

Here is a good shot of what it looks like when a package is installed.

After putting the inner cover and top cover on.  I laid the boxes in front of the hives so that the bees that were left in the package would walk out and go inside the hive.

Can't sleep

So I can't sleep for I am so ecited about gettingy bees in the morning. Not looking forward to the bad weather that is coming toward us. But that will not stop me from working the bees. I will post again and my have a few pics to upload for you guys Nd gals.