>>Have you guys that collect much pollen from your hives ever 
considered what the consequences are for the colonies when they are 
deprived of the pollen for longer periods?

In my neck of the woods, with 3 deep nests, about 1/2 - 3/4 of the 
frames in the bottom deep is fully plugged up with pollen by the end 
of May.  With strong nectar flows in June, only 1 in a 100 bees may 
be coming back with some pollen.  You'd think they were not raising 
brood but it's just the opposite!  Brood rearing is peaking.  They 
simply have sufficient pollen stores.

I set up my trap at the end of July.  The trap collects about 40% of 
the pollen coming in.  The bees are not deprived of pollen.  Not all 
is taken from the bees - it's the same as taking surplus honey from 
the bees.

Unless there's a drought situation, there is always plenty of pollen 
for the bees to collect around here.

The only thing I wonder about is the trap's effect of nectar 
collection.  I put the trap on my strongest colony.  It seems this 
colony has collected less nectar than its neighbors since I put on 
the trap.  This may be an anomaly.  I don't have my hives on scales 
to tell for sure.  My observation is based on looking at the frames 
in the supers.

Waldemar
Long Island, NY

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