...Because we get asked a lot at markets. HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW!
Honeybees (and most pollinators!) collect three main things from nature:
-Flower nectar (a carbohydrate source-this is what gets turned into honey)
-Water (bees need hydration, too!)
-Pollen (their primary protein source)
When honeybees bring pollen back to their hives, they pack it into their wax comb until it ferments-beekeepers call this 'bee bread.' Even pollinators need probiotics! Pollen is crucial during brood rearing season, which is where I come in to say: we never take too much. Just like their other resources (like honey,) it is very important for beekeepers to leave enough for the bees.
Chatting at markets, I often talk about the scarcity of apiary products, and the fact that we work hard to leave plenty for the bees to successfully rear the brood nest, have a good, healthy, working population, and enough food to overwinter. This is why we don't stock bee pollen all year-we're stingy with how much we collect from our colonies.
With that in mind, enjoy your all-natural Bee Pollen, and I hope you appreciate this precious resource as much as we do!
