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Frequently asked questions about APIX Pollen by beekeepers

Here you’ll find answers to the most common questions from beekeepers about how to use our pollen replacing feed to support colony health, boost brood production, and ensure your bees thrive.

Getting started with APIX Pollen

Whenever your colonies require additional pollen-like nutrition, for example:

  • In the fall period, when little is blooming and colonies need to prepare for overwintering, and early spring for colonies coming out of winter.
  • During summer dearths, when the temperature is too high and flowers are shriveled or no longer blooming.
  • In queen rearing operations, where nurse bees need all the nutrition they can get to raise new high-quality queens.
  • When pollinating open-field crops that provide insufficient nutritional value due to large monocultures or non-nutritious pollen.
  • When pollinating crops inside greenhouses or pollination tunnels, where foraging is limited.
  • When colonies cannot forage because of long periods of cold, rain, or presence of Asian hornets / yellow-legged hornets preying on foragers.

For the best results:

  • Feed consistently . A consistent supply of nutrients is critical. Even a short break can cause brood loss and set the colony back for weeks.
  • Do not add anything. The formula is perfectly balanced. Adding ingredients will reduce its effectiveness. Feed sugar syrup separately if needed.
  • Place it correctly. Put the patty ontop of the frames  near the brood nest. The perforated paper should face down. Scratch the paper with your hive tool to improve access. For small colonies , remove the paper completely.
  • Time your feeding. Feed outside of the main honey flow. Remove any leftover feed before you harvest honey.
  • Remember the basics. Good nutrition is a key part of hive health, but it works with, not in place of, good varroa control and a high-quality queen.

A single dose of (a patty) feeds brood producing colonies of 8 frames of bees for 10-14 days with little natural pollen. Scale up for larger colonies (e.g., 2 patties for 16 frames) or down depending on natural pollen availability & colony brood levels.

We recommend ensuring the colony always has sufficient pollen-like nutrition (natural pollen or APIX Pollen) and never run out: gaps cause brood cannibalization.

Better to provide slightly too much than too little. If bees consume everything, provide more. Leftover feed indicates sufficient natural pollen or colony problems requiring inspection.

As long as needed. APIX Pollen is the only pollen replacing feed demonstrated to sustain colonies productively and healthily for over 120 days without natural pollen.

APIX Pollen will be available in 2026, but we are now taking requests from beekeepers.

Provide your information on our priority list to be among the first to secure APIX Pollen for your bees and our team will reach out to you to confirm your request.

Contact us for more information on info@apixbiosciences.com

Understanding your colony's response

Colonies are great at managing their own needs.

Leftover feed indicates either sufficient natural pollen flows are available for the colonies’ brood levels or may indicate colony health problems (queenless, varroa, nosema). Inspect the colony if concerned.

Good nutrition is the corner-stone of a healthy honeybee colony, but it is not a varroa treatment.
A well-nourished colony has a stronger immune system and can better tolerate pests like varroa.

  • However, you must continue to use your standard varroa control methods to keep mite populations low.

Yes, APIX Pollen has been successfully used by beekeepers in environments with small hive beetle (e.g. Florida).

For weaker colonies:

  • feed smaller doses
  • remove unconsumed leftovers

No, in fact, it can boosts foraging activity.

  • Good nutrition leads to more brood.
  • More brood creates a stronger demand for resources and more workers.
  • This demand signals foragers to work harder, making the entire colony more productive.

APIX Biosciences’ pollen replacing feed is readily consumed by nurse bees and has not been stored inside cells like bee-bread.

Product details and purchasing

Based on over 25 years of groundbreaking honeybee nutrition research. Our findings are published in peer-reviewed journals. We operate the largest applied honeybee nutrition R&D program globally, with facilities in Europe and the US.

Our pollen replacing feeds are proprietary formulations based on over 25 years of groundbreaking research into honeybee nutrition and physiology. These formulations contain the essential nutrients bees need and are capable of sustaining colonies’ brood production & activity when pollen is absent.

We are dedicated to deliver the highest level of quality & care from our certified and specialized production facility. Honeybee nutrition requires exceptional care, precisely balancing the unique needs of honeybees while avoiding potentially harmful contamination. We produce according to European and American animal feed product & safety standards using high quality ingredients.

Do not mix or add ingredients. Our formulation is precisely balanced for honeybee needs while avoiding contamination. We handle production from our certified specialized facility so you don’t have to.

Separately feed high-quality sugar syrup for nectar flows as per best-beekeeping practices.

  • Shelf-life: Use within 12 months of the manufacturing date for best results.
  • Storage: Keep in a cool, dry place (at or below 72°F / 22°C), away from direct sunlight. May be stored in refrigerator or freezer.
  • Packaging: Keep it sealed in its original packaging. Reseal opened bags to prevent the product from deterioration or from drying out.

No. It is a high-performance feed formulated for honey bees and is not for human consumption. Keep away from other pets or animals.