Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => EQUIPMENT USAGE, EXPERIMENTATION, HIVE PLANS, CONSTRUCTION TIPS AND TOOLS => Topic started by: seabees on May 23, 2011, 04:53:33 pm

Title: using a pollen trap
Post by: seabees on May 23, 2011, 04:53:33 pm

I used, for the first time, a pollen trap from Mann Lake (the drawer pollen trap which fits between the brood chamber and super) for 3 days and when I removed it , it had quite a few dead bees in it. So I haven't used it since. Firstly I can't get the dead bees out without disassembling it (which is not so much of a problem ; I'll put it back together with screws so I can always get the dead bees out). Secondly, I can't yet clearly see if the dead bees are drones or worker bees. (I read ,after, that drones can't make it through the pollen trap). My question , is that normal, am I using it properly?

Title: Re: using a pollen trap
Post by: Michael Bush on May 24, 2011, 01:41:23 am

Drones need some way out.  I don't have that particular trap, but most of the ones I've had have either a tube or a cone to let the drones out and keep the workers from getting back in.  My guess is that they are drones.