Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: TREBOR on June 25, 2005, 09:39:40 am

Title: use of a pollen trap ?
Post by: TREBOR on June 25, 2005, 09:39:40 am

when is the best time to use a pollen trap?
 is it ok to leave it on all summer?
as I said in an earlyer post pollen collection
 seems to have slowed.
but I have ten pollen traps,
 am I missing out cause I don't have then on.

A RIVER OF BEES!
 my bees are in a valley , down by the creek
when the sun was going down the other day
 it highlighted them while they were flying
what a beeutiful sight
they were all flying the same direction down the valley
like a river of bees!

Title: use of a pollen trap ?
Post by: Robo on June 25, 2005, 03:25:38 pm

Depending on the pollen trap design, you can leave them on for an extended period of time.  Most newer design traps (Sundance, etc.)only take a portion of the pollen and allow the bees to keep pollen to feed the brood.  In fact, many believe that opening and closing the trap tends to confuse the bees and slow them down.  With the trap continously closed,  the bees get "trained" to it.

Title: use of a pollen trap ?
Post by: TREBOR on June 26, 2005, 12:25:08 am

does anyone else know
 I was hoping for more peoples input
not that I don't respect your veiws Robo
 just thought more then one person might have an opinion!

Title: use of a pollen trap ?
Post by: Michael Bush on June 27, 2005, 08:48:03 pm

Any stressful time for the bees will be more stressful with a pollen trap on.  But they seem to do fine with them on all the time as long as there is still SOME pollen getting through and that would depend on the trap.  If I were MAKING a trap, I put a 3/8" bypass hole in for a drone escape and a place for a queen to get out and back in.

Title: use of a pollen trap ?
Post by: TREBOR on June 27, 2005, 11:09:04 pm

thanks for the input
   I put them on my strongest hives last night
and wouldn't you know it was the hottest day yet , thats my luck.
 bee beards on every one.
     I got the front entrence traps from betterbee
should I leave them open for a couple days first ?
cause the bees all seem to not be able to find they're way in side,
 but it my also just be to hot for them to go inside yet.

what do you all think?

Title: use of a pollen trap ?
Post by: Michael Bush on June 27, 2005, 11:15:31 pm

They will fight with the idea of going through the trap for a few days, but they will settle in to it after they get used to it.

Title: use of a pollen trap ?
Post by: TREBOR on June 28, 2005, 01:32:21 am

thanks that makes me feel alittle better!