Mea said:
We'd like to know if anyone has had success with the  commercial propolis
traps made to replace the inner cover (sold by Dadant,
Mann Lake and others).

Sure! These traps work if done at the right time in the right situation.

As I posted awhile back the bees will even fill a mason jar with honey comb
if conditions are right and the  placement of the jar  correct in a strong
honey flow. The jars a real attention getters at fairs! Check archives for
information.

To gather propolis you need a strain of bees  which is known to use  quite a
bit of propolis such as the cauc bee in my opinion.

Mea said:
 Comments in the Bee-L archives from a few
beekeepers several years ago indicate that they did not have much luck with
them.

Beekeeping is not as easy as many would have  you believe. Many hard luck
stories in the archives about all types of beekeeping. Many beekeepers would
rather  give up on Ross rounds, propolis collection, Hogg cassettes, perfect
comb honey etc. rather than learn what they are doing wrong  and step up to
the next level of beekeeping.

Mea said:
I can't imagine coming up with the kilo one guy is looking for.

Propolis collection is like hunting for Morel mushrooms in spring in
Missouri.

 At times you can look all day and come home without any or a few. Other
times you can fill a five gallon bucket in a matter of minutes.

Bob

Ps. Wild  Morel mushrooms were selling for around twenty dollars a pound
(U.S.) last Saturday at the farmers market. City people  were standing in
line and all sellers were sold out by ten am.  A seven pound Morel mushroom
was found this year in Ottawa , Kansas. The local mushroom hunter even got
his picture in the K.C. paper!

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