Hey there,
We want to know: How many of you think that fresh bee pollen is gathered from inside the honeycomb, and how many think that it's not?
Truth is: It's not taken from inside the honeycomb! It's actually gathered as the honeybees enter the beehive.This is why we say that the pollen isn't made by the bees, it's simply gathered by them! The pollen is 100% flower pollen, that is transported to the hive by worker honeybees. From there it is gently brushed off the legs of the bee as they enter the hive, collected, and stored. Pollen collected at the entrance of the beehive is Fresh Bee Pollen, straight from the flower.
Honeybees instinctually gather pollen for a variety of reasons: to feed young bees, to save for protein in the winter, and to act as a warm barrier or insulation in the cells around the larvae/brood cells.
As fresh bee pollen is a living product, if the bees were to just store it in the cells and leave it alone, it would quickly mold in the warm beehive. To combat this, the honeybees will mix enzymes and secretions from their bodies with trace amounts of honey and use that to preserve the pollen. This creation is commonly known as "Bee Bread," because you could slice a chunk of this fermented pollen straight from the hive and eat it, just like bread.
So there you have the difference between Fresh Bee Pollen, and bee pollen stored in the hive!