Bee pollen
Also known as: Pollen pellets, Bee-collected pollen
Bee pollen is flower pollen that bees pack with nectar or honey into pellets and carry to the hive on their hind legs.
Bee pollen is flower pollen that Bees pack into pellets on their hind legs. They moisten it with nectar or Honey, so the pellets taste sweet. A bee carries two such pellets per trip.
A pellet usually consists of the pollen of one plant species or a few, so it has a typical colour: most often yellow, but also red, purple, green or orange. Pollen is food for the bees; the supply stored in the comb turns into bee bread.
Beekeepers collect the pellets with a pollen trap at the hive entrance. The efficiency of a trap rarely exceeds 50 %. Fresh pollen is dried soon after harvest to under 10 % moisture, preferably 5–8 %, at no more than 40–45 °C. Stored dry and out of direct sunlight, it keeps.
Pollen is a known allergen, so people allergic to flower pollen should avoid it. FAO warns that many marketing claims about pollen, such as "perfect food" or "miracle food", are untruthful.
Why this matters to you: bee pollen is food for the bees that people take in limited amounts, not a wonder remedy. When you see it among bee products, check that it is dry and packed away from light, and do not trust loud promises.
Facts
| Raw material | Flower pollen mixed by bees with nectar or honey |
|---|---|
| Temperature | Drying: at most 40–45 °C, to under 10 % moisture (preferably 5–8 %) |
| Main use | Food for bees; people collect part of it with a pollen trap |
| Taste | Pellets taste sweet because they are moistened with nectar or honey |
How it connects to Honey & beekeeping
Bee pollen → kind of → Bee products → kind of → 🍯 Honey
Links
- Where it comes from
- 🐝 Bees
- What is made from it
- Bee bread
- Part of
- Bee products
- Similar and different
- Royal jelly, Sądecki Bartnik Apivit Plus, Sądecki Bartnik Bee-complex, Apidava Royale Cocktail, Attiki Greek Bee Pollen, Łysoń Miodovita, Medozbir Pylok kvitkovyi
- In other topics
- Honey plants
Frequently asked questions
What is bee pollen?
Flower pollen that bees pack into pellets on their hind legs and moisten with nectar or honey.
Why do the pellets come in different colours?
A pellet usually holds the pollen of one plant species or a few, so the colour varies: most often yellow, but also red, purple, green or orange.
How do beekeepers collect pollen pellets?
With a pollen trap at the hive entrance; the efficiency of a trap rarely exceeds 50 %.
How is bee pollen dried and stored?
Dried to under 10 % moisture, preferably 5–8 %, at no more than 40–45 °C, then kept dry and out of direct sunlight.
Is it true that pollen is a “perfect food”?
No. FAO warns that many such marketing claims about pollen are untruthful; pollen is also a known allergen.
What to read next
- Royal jelly — Royal jelly is the secretion of young nurse bees' glands used to feed young larvae and the queen; it is harvested only from queen cells.
- Honey plants — Plants from which bees collect nectar and pollen: black locust, lime, buckwheat, sunflower, rapeseed, chestnut, heather, lavender.
- Sądecki Bartnik Bee-complex — Honey blend with bee products from Sądecki Bartnik: bee pollen 5%, bee bread 5%, propolis extract 1%, royal jelly 1%.
- Łysoń Miodovita — Honey blend with bee products from Łysoń: bee pollen 4.3%, propolis 0.4%, royal jelly 0.3%.
- Sądecki Bartnik Apivit Plus — Food supplement in lozenges from Sądecki Bartnik: freeze-dried royal jelly 12%, bee pollen 8%.
Similar
Propolis · Royal jelly · Beeswax · Bee bread · Beeswax candles
Sources
- FAO, Krell R. (1996) Value-added products from beekeeping, Chapter 3 Pollen
- FAO, Krell R. (1996) Value-added products from beekeeping, Chapter 2 Honey