Some advice here: http://poly-hive.co.uk/recourses/beg...llen-trapping/
When trapping though best to only do it for a week or so to ensure the colony is getting enough pollen in for their needs.
PH
Some advice here: http://poly-hive.co.uk/recourses/beg...llen-trapping/
When trapping though best to only do it for a week or so to ensure the colony is getting enough pollen in for their needs.
PH
A week would be far too long at this time of year. The CSI pollen project is looking for samples over a 3 day period.
You only need to collect what will fit in a honey jar lid from each hive sampled.
Another issue with the Thorne fairweather trap is that as Gerry says you have to have the hive set up cold way so that the trap fits into the panel recess.
An alternative would be to saw off the lug of the trap and keep the colony warm way.
They are made from very thin ply.
Last edited by Jon; 04-04-2015 at 01:46 PM.
Most people have open mesh floors so cold and warm are surely a non issue now? Was tempted by Thorne trap but only from an academic point of view.. no real need to store it in my current plans for this year.
I don't have them warm way for any particular reason other than it makes it easier to inspect them from behind rather than side on. Just the way I like to work. And accordingly the fairweather traps as supplied by Thornes need some finagling to fit.
Moo. Cold way warm way is a total non issue under normal circumstances except that the pollen traps are manufactured in a way that they will only fit into the recess of the hive side panel if you have it set up cold way. It's to do with the shape of the national boxes made by Thorne.
pollen trap1small.jpg
I know a person who uses the warm way to set up the possibility of pulling an extra comb or two of honey when the supers come off -but it's a little more complicated than that and involves making sure that those back combs are relatively new, not holding lots of pollen or old honey from the tail end of the previous year.
Ah I get you Jon ...my lack of experience with nationals!
Did you ever find a decent plan for a floor pollen trap Kitta? Thinking it might be a productive DIY project for me. Not going to use those Fairweather things again - complete PITA.
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