Aloha's experience does not jibe with mine of the past
16 years. He's a large-scale commercial man;
I'm just a little hobbyist.
Suum cuique.
 
On Wed, 4 Feb 1998, MARK G SPAGNOLO wrote:
 
> Aloha:
>
> I am in disagreement with John concerning supercedure and pollen traps.  I
> see a definate connection between the rate of supercedure with pollen traps
> and without.
>
> Usually I install the traps in groups of 50.  I know that the 50 hives
> currently trapping pollen will have around 10% supercedure within a month
> of installing the traps.  Other yards of 50 in the same area at the same
> time will not have any supercedure.
>
> The advertisement seen in the bee journals for pollen traps from a
> particular company states that honey production will increase with traps.
> I would like to see some proof.  My experience has been the opposite.
>
> All of my hives have young queens (I requeen every hive in October of every
> year), and all hives are run in double deeps.
>
> My advise if you are going to trap pollen; have a good supply of queens
> available when you initially install the traps and watch for dwindling.
>
> Pollen trapping has been very profitable for me.  I make a lot more money
> on pollen than honey.  Here in Hawaii I can trap pollen for nine or ten
> months of the year and I average around a pound of pollen per week per
> hive.
>
> I hope this information helped.
>
> Mark in Hawaii
>
 
**John Iannuzzi, Ph.D.
**38 years in apiculture
**12 hives of Italian honeybees
**At Historic Ellicott City, Maryland, 21042, U.S.A. (10 miles west of
   Baltimore, Maryland) [9772 Old Annapolis Rd - 410 730 5279]
**"Forsooth there is some good in things evil
   For bees extract sweetness from the weed" -- Bard of Avon
**Website: http://www.xmetric.com/honey
**Email: [log in to unmask] [1jan981031est]