pollen sub and other products.

[tristan]

there is some poor batches of pollen sub around and also mite strips. with the downturn in beekeeping, shops have been caught holding on to old stock. mite strips isn't to bad, the use by date is not a strict failure point. however pollen sub tends to dry out and turn into bricks.

@jos@centalotago sorry i can't reply in the beginner section tho your the first in 5 months. even hobby beekeeping has crashed.

 

[jos@centalotago]

there is some poor batches of pollen sub around and also mite strips. with the downturn in beekeeping, shops have been caught holding on to old stock. mite strips isn't to bad, the use by date is not a strict failure point. however pollen sub tends to dry out and turn into bricks.

@jos@centalotago sorry i can't reply in the beginner section tho your the first in 5 months. even hobby beekeeping has crashed.

Thanks for responding, yeah I was told today a local central Otago commercial beekeeper is selling up everything and has posted on Facebook marketplace. I'm surprised how many people are just walking away even from hobbyist hives. These blasted pollen sub patties are bricks, they're terrible darn things but I mixed a little 2:1 syrup and a little honey I got when cleaning up a plastic frame into it because I'm replacing the plastic frames and switching over to good old school wood gear, with wax foundation. I'm not fussed with the way the bee's draw comb on those plastic frames so I'm getting them out, and got a little brood comb honey when I cleaned up the frames. I combined them slowly over a low heat in a pan until it softened up to the point where I could use it like a putty mix without it going everywhere, took a while to get the pollen sub mixed in but it came together and the bee's loved it. I put a little on the top bars just to see if they'd take it and they mobbed it😂