Spring Beekeeping: Pollen Substitute for Honeybees

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Spring Beekeeping in Pennsylvania: Pollen Substitute for Honeybees

Last updated:  March 23, 2025

Disclosure of Material Connection:  Some of the links in this page or post may be “affiliate links”.  This means that if you click on the link, Pioneer Mountain Homestead, LLC may receive an affiliate commission at no direct cost to you.   Pioneer Mountain Homestead, LLC only recommends products or services that the owners, managers, or employees of Pioneer Mountain Homestead, LLC use or believe will add value to the readers of this website.  This disclosure is made with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Early Spring Bee Care
Watch video on Rumble

It’s March on the homestead, and my honey bees are finally stirring after a long winter. This video shows the bees hard at work, collecting pollen substitute from a plate I put out. A friend of mine suggested this pollen substitute to get the bees “jump started” for the season as the bees had a really hard winter this year.

Early spring is a big moment for bees—they’re emerging from their hives, and the queen’s starting to lay eggs again. But with little to no flowers blooming yet, natural pollen is scarce, and their winter stores might be running low. That’s where this pollen substitute comes in. It’s a chance to give the bees a protein boost and keep the colony strong.

CLICK HERE FOR PDF COPY WHICH INCLUDES MORE INFORMATION AND SOURCES OF INFORMATION.

Pollen Substitute
This is the pollen substitute used in the video. This is my first time using it, so I cannot give my opinion on the product. However, the beekeeper who recommended it is very knowledgeable and has used it with great success.
Beekeeping gloves
I have these gloves and wear them when moving equipment or dealing with a nasty hive. They are covered in a mesh that is thicker than a bee’s stinger. I don’t use them for regular frame inspection, but if I’m doing something where I can’t see if there are bees on my hands, these are great.
Frame Gripper
Gripping frames seems to get harder the older your hands get. This is the best frame gripper I’ve found and I’ve had many. This gripper is a little more pricey, but dropping frames like I did with cheap grippers was no longer tolerable. If I had to do it over again, I wouldn’t waste money on the cheap grippers. This is the one to have.
Natural Beekeeping Book
If you are more into keeping your bees in sync with nature and not with chemicals, this is a great book. It’s organized well, has loads of pictures, and an easy read.
Better Bee Keeping Book
This is a good book for information and has many photographs.

Sources of Information

 

Blackiston, Howland, Beekeeping For Dummies. Wiley Publishing, Inc., 2002.

 

Conrad, Ross, Natural Beekeeping. Chelsea Green Publishing, 2007.

 

Dadant, C. P., First Lessons In Beekeeping, Revised Edition. R. R. Donnelley & Sons Company, Copyright 1938, Reprinted in 1945.

 

Flottum, Kim, Better Bee Keeping. Quarry Books, 2011.

 

Flottum, Kim, The Backyard Beekeeper. Quarry Books, 2005.

Bee smoker
We have many bee smokers, but this one seems to get the most use. I like it because it is slightly taller than the other smokers and allows for a longer burn time. It’s nice when you don’t have to stop and refill smokers so often.
Beekeeping for Dummies Book
This book aligns with the layout of many of the “Dummies” books. It is organized well and gets right to the point with good information.
Backyard Beekeeping Book
This book is written by the same author as “Better Beekeeping”, but I like it better as it is written more for the urban farmer or homesteader. Great information and lots of pictures.
Thank you so much for your support!

We are full time homesteaders at Pioneer Mountain Homestead in the Appalachian Mountains of south-central Pennsylvania.   We have a sawmill, produce garden, honeybees, layer hens, laying ducks, pigs, and goats. We provide boat and camper storage to nearby visitors of Raystown Lake and sell firewood and lumber in south central Pennsylvania.  Our journey is to be as self-reliant as we can be; to live as much as we can from the resources we have at hand; to effectively be productive with as minimal environmental impact as possible; to raise food in an organic manner; and to give back to our community through education or demonstration. We are always learning, as well. Life is always an adventure! We enjoy learning from others and seeing what other people are doing as well.  – Bren and Chuck

Pioneer Mountain Homestead
16477 Sharman Lane
James Creek, PA 16657
814-505-6426
"Embracing Everything Farm and Forest"

Disclosure of Material Connection:  Some of the links in this page or post may be “affiliate links”.  This means that if you click on the link, Pioneer Mountain Homestead, LLC may receive an affiliate commission at no direct cost to you.   Pioneer Mountain Homestead, LLC only recommends products or services that the owners, managers, or employees of Pioneer Mountain Homestead, LLC use or believe will add value to the readers of this website.  This disclosure is made with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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