Sugar Recipe
Uses white sugar, hot water and vegetable oil as the base. It is useful when Pro Sweet is not available or when making smaller batches from pantry ingredients.
Best for: small batches, simple ingredients and quick home mixing.
Pollen Patty Calculator
Scale a pollen patty recipe to any batch size. Choose the sugar, hot water and vegetable oil base, or the Pro Sweet base, then calculate exact ingredient weights in lb, oz, kg or g.
Calculator
Recipe
Choose the base you want to mix.
Sugar, hot water and vegetable oil form the binding base. Use this when Pro Sweet is not available.
Units
Batch size
Calculate by your target finished patty weight or by how much pollen substitute you have.
How much total patty you want to end up with after mixing.
Assumptions and notes
- The sugar recipe reference batch is 19.42 lb sugar, 7.63 lb hot water, 1.39 lb vegetable oil and 11.56 lb pollen substitute, making about 40 lb of patty.
- The Pro Sweet recipe reference batch is 6 lb sugar, 26 lb Pro Sweet and 15 lb pollen substitute, making about 47 lb of patty.
- Vegetable oil volume is approximate and assumes about 0.92 g/mL.
- Any dry pollen substitute can usually be swapped 1:1 by weight, but different products may need slightly more or less liquid.
Sugar Recipe vs Pro Sweet Recipe
Pro Sweet Recipe
Uses Pro Sweet syrup with a little extra sugar and pollen substitute. It can stay softer and is useful for bigger feeding windows.
Best for: larger operations, repeat feeding and longer storage on top bars.
When to feed pollen patties
Late winter
Feed around 4-6 weeks before natural pollen normally starts if the colony needs brood build-up support.
Early spring
Use patties to bridge the gap until reliable forage is available, especially in colder areas.
Summer dearth
Small patties may help when natural pollen drops off, but check colonies often.
In areas with small hive beetle pressure, feed smaller patties more often. Uneaten patty can become beetle breeding material.
Common mixing mistakes
Too dry and crumbly
Add a splash more hot water or Pro Sweet until the mix presses together like soft dough.
Too wet and sticky
Fold in a little more pollen substitute until the patty can be handled and pressed between paper.
Making patties too large
Use smaller patties if colonies are weak or beetle pressure is high.
Forgetting storage
Wrap patties in parchment or wax paper and refrigerate or freeze what you are not feeding soon.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use another pollen substitute?
Yes. Use the same weight of another dry pollen substitute, then adjust the liquid slightly until the patty feels like soft dough.
How much patty should I give a hive?
Many beekeepers start with a smaller patty and check how quickly bees consume it. Avoid leaving large uneaten patties on the colony.
How should I store patties?
Wrap patties in parchment or wax paper. Refrigerate short-term or freeze batches you will not use soon.
Should I feed patties when small hive beetles are a problem?
Be cautious. Feed smaller patties more often and remove uneaten material before it becomes a beetle problem.