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Should You Feed Bees Pollen Substitute in Autumn? UK Guide

Short answer: not every colony needs pollen substitute in autumn. UK beekeepers should first assess natural pollen coming into the hive, pollen stored around the...

Short answer: not every colony needs pollen substitute in autumn. UK beekeepers should first assess natural pollen coming into the hive, pollen stored around the brood and the colony’s level of brood rearing. Supplementary protein is most useful when there is a genuine shortage, rather than simply because September has arrived.

Autumn nutrition matters because colonies are raising the longer-lived bees that must carry them through winter. However, protein feed cannot correct every problem. A poor brood pattern, falling population or lack of activity may also point to queen failure, disease, high Varroa pressure or insufficient carbohydrate stores.

Why bees need pollen

Pollen is the colony’s principal source of protein. It also supplies fats, vitamins and minerals used by nurse bees when producing brood food. Without an adequate supply, brood production can slow or stop and developing larvae may not receive the nutrition they require.

The National Bee Unit advises that the best provision is a plentiful and varied supply of natural pollen-bearing plants within flying range. Bees tend to prefer fresh pollen and do not always store it in large quantities, which means a prolonged spell of poor weather or a gap in local forage can create a shortage even when the colony appeared well supplied at an earlier inspection.

Signs that supplementary protein may be useful

Consider a pollen substitute or protein patty when several of the following apply:

  • There is little stored pollen close to an active brood nest.
  • Few foragers are returning with pollen during otherwise suitable flying weather.
  • Local flowering forage is limited or poor weather has prevented collection.
  • The colony is still raising brood but its pollen reserve is being depleted.
  • A nucleus or developing colony has limited access to varied natural forage.

Compare colonies in the same apiary. If one colony is behaving very differently from its neighbours, investigate queen condition, brood health, pests and disease rather than assuming feed alone is the answer.

When pollen substitute may not be necessary

Visible pollen stores, active pollen foraging and a healthy amount of brood for the time of year may indicate that the colony is meeting its needs naturally. Brood rearing also contracts as autumn progresses, so a smaller brood nest is not automatically proof of protein deficiency.

Do not use protein feed merely to keep a colony expanding indefinitely. The objective is to support an identified nutritional need while the colony prepares for winter. Energy stores must be considered separately: pollen feed provides protein, while syrup or honey supplies the carbohydrate reserve needed for winter. Our guide to when to stop feeding bees syrup in autumn explains that part of the assessment.

Choosing an autumn protein feed

Ready-made patties are convenient because their consistency and composition are controlled. SuperProtein Pattie 450g is a ready-to-use plant-protein feed containing approximately 12.5% crude protein. It can be placed where the bees can reach it without the beekeeper having to mix a batch.

For beekeepers preparing larger quantities, ApiPollen Substitute provides a dry pollen-replacement option that should be prepared and offered according to the product directions.

The appropriate quantity depends on colony strength, brood area and external conditions. The National Bee Unit gives a broad range from around 50g per week for a small three-frame colony to as much as 500g for a strong colony. Treat those figures as guidance, monitor consumption and avoid placing more feed in the hive than the colony can use promptly.

How to feed patties responsibly

  • Follow the manufacturer’s storage, preparation and feeding directions.
  • Position the feed close enough to the brood area for nurse bees to access it.
  • Check consumption without repeatedly disturbing the colony in cool weather.
  • Remove feed that becomes mouldy, excessively dry or otherwise spoiled.
  • Keep the apiary and equipment clean and avoid leaving scraps exposed to wasps or other colonies.
  • Do not use pollen supplements while honey supers intended for human consumption are on the hive.

If feeding is started because natural pollen is genuinely inadequate, continue monitoring until a suitable natural pollen crop becomes available or the nutritional need has passed. Stopping abruptly while larvae depend on the additional feed may be detrimental.

Can you use frames of stored pollen?

A frame containing pollen can be moved from a healthy donor colony with a genuine surplus within the same apiary. Only do this when the health status of both colonies is known. The National Bee Unit warns against using pollen or pollen comb from an unknown source because it can spread bee disease.

The key point

Protein is important in autumn, but routine feeding is not a substitute for inspecting and understanding the colony. Check the brood nest, natural forage, stored pollen, queen performance, Varroa management and winter energy stores together. Where a real pollen shortfall exists, a suitable commercial substitute can provide useful support; where natural pollen is adequate, extra feeding may add little.

Further reading: National Bee Unit best-practice guidance on feeding pollen and substitutes.