Pollen trapping

[yes2matt]

I read a recent Randy Oliver article that made me think that I should think about pollen trapping. Is there a "go-to" book or site to learn about pollen management?

Also, what is your favorite pollen trap?

[yes2matt]

^^ so I forgot to search first. Sorry, mods can delete if ya want.

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[Oldbeavo]

My problem with pollen trapping is when to do it ? and am I short changing the bees!
We never seem to end up with a hive full of pollen so I wonder how much could they go without?

[BeeMaster2]

When you add a trap, you want one that allows some of the pollen to get through. Then the bees get the pollen they need but they just have to work harder to get enough. If they do not get enough, the nurse bees will demand more and more from the field bees.
Jim

[yes2matt]

http://scientificbeekeeping.com/understanding-colony-buildup-and-decline-part-9b/
I think is the article I read.

It made me think that I can cause a break in brood by trapping out the pollen to make an artificial pollen dearth. In my imagination, I would time it toward the end of nectar flow, so I'm "fully staffed" up until I pull honey. Then there would be fewer bees going into dearth, and a dip in the mite load going into fall prep.

I could use the pollen to supplement a nuc or maybe freeze it to supplement buildup in early spring.

But these might be silly ideas, and I really would like to read up on the subject before I go messing things up.  I also would need several pollen traps, and they're a little bit 'spensive.

[Oldbeavo]

Ok Jim
If we have a pollen flow and are considering using a trap to collect some and have a trap that lets some through, but we don't put it on.
They then collect heaps, what do they do with the excess, they can't sell it, they don't seem to stop collecting for a few days, though how would we know!
How do we know that enough is getting through the trap?
Even though there has been some debate about growing bees and collecting honey, I subscribe to the theory of more bees = more honey, so if I trap pollen do I reduce my bee numbers, especially in spring when there is heaps of canola pollen but we are trying to grow our hives after coming from almond pollination, is collecting pollen going to effect bee numbers?

[BeeMaster2]

Most of
The time
My bees do not collect pollen all day long. Usually they collect it mostly in the morning and the evening. If you add pollen traps, more bees will spend more time collecting it. I doubt that it will slow down brood rearing as long as they can bring it in.
Jim

[KeyLargoBees]

based on the size of the holes they are squeezing through the traps don't scrape off all the pollen just some of it so they just make more trips....its a resource drain on the hives to be sure but no worse than stealing a frame of capped brood ;-)