What is Bee Pollen?
Pollen is a highly
nutritious food, which is eagerly eaten by many insects and birds, and is
gathered, in large quantities by honeybees as food for their brood. (Bee’s only form of protein)
Pollen is the
dust-like microspores from the anther of a flower, the anther being the male
sexual organ of a flower.
Protein levels vary from 7% to 40% depending from which plant species and
locality the pollen was gathered. 26% is the recognized average.
Pollen contains up to 16 different vitamins, up to 18 enzymes and
co-enzymes, and up to 18 amino acids.
Vitamins
All known vitamins are
present in a highly compact package, but it is especially rich in the B
group-B1, B2, B3, B6 and B72 thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, B12 pantothenic acid,
pyridoxine, folic acid, biotin as well as vitamin A, C, D, E, K, M, and rutin
(this is a substance in pollen that increases the resistance of the capillary
walls to infections, it can cut down the time of bleeding so there is better
healing and coagulation of the blood, which is a advantage in birds.)
Reducing sugars
average 29%, fructose, glucose, stachyose, sucrose, raffinose and pentose.
Enzymes
Pollen contains many
enzymes which act as catalysts in the breakdown of food components, chemically
changing them into substances that can be transformed into muscle, bone,
feathers, skin, organs, glands, hormones, blood etc.
Amino Acids
Amino acids are the
building blocks of life, all contain molecules of carbon and hydrogen, nitrogen
and oxygen. All the amino acids including the essential amino acids (those not
able to be manufactured in the body) can be found in bee pollen.
Minerals
Mineral content of
pollen varies greatly depending upon the floral source, which is critically
dependent on soil content, but pollen is rich in the important minerals and
trace elements. boron, calcium, chlorine, copper, iodine, iron, manganese,
magnesium, molybdenum, phosphorous, potassium, silicon, sodium, sulphur,
titanium and zinc.
Feeding birds – I
sprinkle pollen and calcium carbonate over soaked seed everyday prior to and
during the breeding season, and also sprinkle it over their fruit and
vegetables. My Lorikeets get pollen everyday in their nectar mix, one
tablespoon per litre of nectar made up.
Pollen and can be
purchased in two different forms firstly as a dry granular powder and secondly
as a frozen granular powder. I personally prefer frozen, as there has been no
heat applied in the preparation for sale. So if you would like to put a sheen
on your birds plumage and a spring in their step try feeding Bee pollen.
EDS NOTE: Pollen is
great for parrots as well as lorikeets.
Last modified 20 December 2001.