I was looking at pollen traps at the store the order day.
How many of you use them?
What is the advantage of using one?
Looked to me by the time they walked across the expanded metal and then crawl through the entrance hole, they would probably be losing 40% to the trap, aren't we getter off just letting them take it all in and process it
Pollen traps are for folks that want to "Trap Pollen" Either to sell or feed back when there is no pollen available...The point of a good trap is for them not to lose it all as you said above. The premiere pollen trap is the Sundance Trap.
I use a pollen trap to trap pollen for years when the fall flow fails. I need those young bees to get through the winter...
Quote from: Michael Bush on May 01, 2017, 06:25:15 PM
I use a pollen trap to trap pollen for years when the fall flow fails. I need those young bees to get through the winter...
I understand......where you live, you have cold long winters, fortunately I don't have that, usually doesn't get cooler than 60 here. I am in the foothills of the mountains you cross to go from Thailand to Burma
If pollen is available year round, then the only reason to have a trap is to sell the pollen... or eat it.
When you use a pollen trap the bees will just work harder to collect pollen (if it is available). When you do it you will see a lot more pollen going in due to the loss.
Jim
Quote from: sawdstmakr on May 02, 2017, 01:10:26 PM
When you use a pollen trap the bees will just work harder to collect pollen (if it is available). When you do it you will see a lot more pollen going in due to the loss.
Jim
You mean see a lot more going into the hive or into the trap?
Quote from: Captain776 on May 02, 2017, 10:13:31 PM
Quote from: sawdstmakr on May 02, 2017, 01:10:26 PM
When you use a pollen trap the bees will just work harder to collect pollen (if it is available). When you do it you will see a lot more pollen going in due to the loss.
Jim
You mean see a lot more going into the hive or into the trap?
That would be on the landing board.... you are denying the hive what it wants. If more loads are coming in to meet the needs... more is also going to the trap.
Quote from: sc-bee on May 03, 2017, 12:36:39 AM
Quote from: Captain776 on May 02, 2017, 10:13:31 PM
Quote from: sawdstmakr on May 02, 2017, 01:10:26 PM
When you use a pollen trap the bees will just work harder to collect pollen (if it is available). When you do it you will see a lot more pollen going in due to the loss.
Jim
You mean see a lot more going into the hive or into the trap?
That would be on the landing board.... you are denying the hive what it wants. If more loads are coming in to meet the needs... more is also going to the trap.
Exactly. Since the bees are only getting a percentage of the amount coming in, they will increase their demand on the field bees and more is brought in so that get what they need.
Jim
Quote from: sawdstmakr on May 03, 2017, 01:02:41 PM
Quote from: sc-bee on May 03, 2017, 12:36:39 AM
Quote from: Captain776 on May 02, 2017, 10:13:31 PM
Quote from: sawdstmakr on May 02, 2017, 01:10:26 PM
When you use a pollen trap the bees will just work harder to collect pollen (if it is available). When you do it you will see a lot more pollen going in due to the loss.
Jim
You mean see a lot more going into the hive or into the trap?
Thanks.........do you use them on your hives?
That would be on the landing board.... you are denying the hive what it wants. If more loads are coming in to meet the needs... more is also going to the trap.
Exactly. Since the bees are only getting a percentage of the amount coming in, they will increase their demand on the field bees and more is brought in so that get what they need.
Jim
I do not. I do not have a trap, yet.
If you do do it bee careful if you eat it. I once ate a fresh pollen piece that had Fallen off a bee. I had a pretty serious reaction to it.
Jim
Don't plan on eating any.....just yet.
When we were at the Bee Farm, my wife asked about Royal Jelly and the lady gave us a sample to try. To me, it didn't really have a taste but immediately gave me heartburn and I never get heartburn.
The lady was telling my wife of the health benefits of eating a spoon of it every night.
Thanks
Bruce