My oil trays under screened bottoms are full of pollen,should I be concerned?
Oil trays? What are you using them for? Keeping ants out? The bees won't bother it.
Bassman
The Oils is too kill the SHB's
I don't know about the pollen
I haven't started with oil YET ? :roll:
Tom
Don't worry about it. Your oil tray is full of other trash also. Bees are not going to try to get that pollen. Every month or so when you filter out the oil, it will be gone.
QuoteBassman
The Oils is too kill the SHB's
Can you tell me more about this? I was thinking you had your hive stand sitting in a pan of oil. So I guess since you have the oil tray underneath your hive, you are trying to get to the SHBs prior to them getting into the hive? Eliminate the threat before they get in?
Oil trays
hive beetle infestation (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibbEY2J9kfY#)
And
Freeman Beetle Trap Design (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHsOl9C3Jis#)
Beetles can fall through your SBB and fall into the oil and die or the babies drop into the oil instead of making it to the ground. Just another way to take the beetles out of the hive.
I get pollen in my home made traps too. I'd be concerned if it was a lot of pollen, that's wasted work for the bees, but a bit of pollen is normal.
Just think of how much pollen is coming into the hive. 2 legs packed with pollen on no telling how many bees in just one day coming into the hive. What falls is just a very small percentage of what they are bringing in. And who knows, even with a solid bottom board, when pollen falls on it, is it taken back up or cleaned right out the front door?