Waldemar asks whether trapping pollen has any negative effect on honey
production.

Based on my observations and those of other beekeepers who collect pollen on
a large scale, hives with traps do not have honey production that is
different from those without traps.  Seeley confirms that in his discussion
of how bees collect nectar and pollen on the same trip...when they need
pollen.  (If the hive does not need pollen (except in the fall, bees do not
collect pollen to store for long periods), the bees collect only nectar.)

That said, many supercedure queens are 'lost' when pollen traps are on
hives.  The queens can get out of the hive to mate, but often cannot get
back in and are 'lost'.  The beekeeper quickly learns when a hive has gone
queenless, as pollen collection dramatically decreases (presumbaly, because
of a lack of brood to feed) and, upon investigation of the brood nest she
will find a lack of eggs and young brood.  Unless these hives can be
immediately restocked with a nuc, honey production will dramatically
decrease.

Pollen traps, like any other tool, vary greatly in their ability to collect
clean pollen, keep it dry during thunderstorms, let drones (and virgin
queens) escape, etc.  In general, the least expensive are the 'cheapest' and
those costing more do so because they excel at their task.  Buyer beware.

Lloyd



-- 
Lloyd Spear
Owner Ross Rounds, Inc.
Manufacture of equipment for round comb honey sections,
Sundance Pollen Traps, and producer of Sundance custom labels.
Contact your dealer or www.RossRounds.com

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