What is the best way to dust feeders with bee pollen?

[happy1892]

What is the best way to dust feeders with bee pollen?

 

[happy1892]

?

 

[ZenViouS]

I get all the feeders I need into a small vial with a foam plug at the top. Get a paint brush and dabble it in the pollen mix then push the foam to one side of the top so that there is just enough space to fit the paint through inside of it. Then I just twist the brush until the pollen comes off, remove it from the vial, and shake. One thing I've noticed is that with winged flies, a lot of it gets on their wings instead of their back and they are able to clean their wings and get most of it it off.... :-/

 

[happy1892]

It does not work for me. The bee pollen sticks to the sides of plastic and not the feeders.

 

[happy1892]

Do I have to dry the bee pollen?

 

[hibiscusmile]

why is it wet? Is it ground to a powder? should be ok to just put them in a small vial and shake them, but never, never, never, never, absolutely NEVER SHAKE A BABY!

 

[Rick]

I used to just put the immobile flies into a container with the pollen and lightly shake.

 

[ZenViouS]

The way pollen is, even if it's dry it'll stick to anything it really touches. That includes the sides of the container AND the flies crawling around (or shaken around lol) on it. It's not like how you dust crickets where they become almost while from the powder. It's on them, even if they don't turn yellow.

 

[meaganelise9]

Yeah, why is it not dry? Easier: feed the pollen to the fly = delicious gooey center. I figure it doesn't make a difference if it's on the inside or outside.

 

[jcal]

all of the bee pollen you find in organic health food places(for human consumption) are moist and kept under refrigeration.

i have the same drying problem.

 

[meaganelise9]

Oh. Might be easier to try the stuff sold by mantispets or mantisplace.

 

[Precarious]

You have to use dry, finely ground pollen. No refrigeration. I just buy Yen's Blend. Saves a lot of trouble plus you get powdered honey in the mix.

I keep a thin layer in a 16 oz. deli cup and use it to coat Blue Bottles. I drop some refrigerated flies in, swirl them around then distribute. The pollen mainly clings to the hairs on the back and gets eaten.

 

[happy1892]

I misted the flies and the bee pollen stuck to the flies.