Swedish bee pollen from forests and meadows

Sweden produces approximately 800–900 kg of bee pollen per year compared to Spain, which harvests around 200 tons. The majority of Swedish beekeepers are small-scale and run their business as a sideline. Therefore, it has been difficult to continuously offer Swedish bee pollen. Now about ten beekeepers have joined together in a non-profit association, which together has a greater capacity.

They manage their bee colonies according to ecological principles even if they are not KRAV-connected, and uses, for example, formic acid instead of a chemical strip to fight the varroa virus. The bees, which are off Apis mellifera ligustica and Buckfast flying in forests and over meadows and pastures. The pollen season basically starts with dandelion in May and ends with heather in September/October. In between, there is white clover, rallar rose, maple, chestnut, linden, lingonberry, blueberry, bracken, buttercup, thyme …

Collection of bee pollen

Bees transport bee pollen in pockets on their legs to the hive. In the hive, the bee pollen is collected by the bees passing through a somewhat narrow entrance, where the bees scrape off some of the collected pollen from their legs. The bee pollen then falls into small containers below. The bees are not harmed by this and naturally get to keep enough pollen themselves to provide for their own.

Our beekeepers then check the bee colony and empty the pollen collector every five days. Immediately after emptying, the beekeeper freezes the bee pollen for 4 days at -18C, this to kill any amoebas. Our bee pollen is then dried for 1,5 days at 38–39°C with good air flow to lower the moisture content from approx. 30 to 10 percent, which prevents mold development.