View Full Version : Sundance 2 Pollen traps ?
Action
05-02-2006, 04:27 PM
I am trying a couple Sundance 2 pollen traps (the ones on top) They seam to be built nice the only problem I seam to be having is the drones are getting out but not back in :confused: they are filling up the screens to where the workers can't get in :mad: Anyone else having this problem? I have pulled them off for now.
Thanks Jack
Michael Bush
05-02-2006, 07:15 PM
>I seam to be having is the drones are getting out but not back in
That's how pollen traps work. You have to let them out or they will clog up the trap or the enrance. But if they can get in then the workers can also and the workers can skip the trap. You just have to let the drones get used to the fact that they can't get back in and they will drift to other hives.
Action
05-02-2006, 07:35 PM
Thanks,
I will try it again.
Jack
Dan Williamson
05-03-2006, 06:50 AM
They will find other colonies. I've got Sundance pollen traps on 4 of my 12 overwintered hives. Although I just recently put the last 3 on. I've gotten 3lbs in 2 weeks from one hive.
The drones hung around for a couple of days and then all of the sudden disappeared. I found them a couple of days later when I checked the 10 mating nucs I've got going.
power napper
05-03-2006, 06:57 AM
I don't have that problem with mine, the bees use the drone escapes to get back though instead of the pollen stripping screens though, need more time for evaluation yet!
Dan Williamson
05-03-2006, 09:00 AM
I would think it difficult for the bees to make it back thru the cone drone escapes on a Sundance trap.
Could a few worker bees maybe make it back thru? I guess anything is possible but not very likely. If the bees are making it back INTO the hive thru the drone escapes you won't see much pollen in your tray.
Drones can't get back into a hive that has been properly prepared for a pollen trap. (ie. all other entrances sealed off)
Frankly for the first few days the bees aren't sure they want to go back in either. Eventually they get the hang of it and it doesn't seem to bother them abit.
I did find that they were a little more agitated for the first two days after I installed the traps.
MichaelW
05-05-2006, 07:55 AM
Maybe I'll put my pollen traps on my matED nucs. They're about over run with drones?? The queens aren't drone layers, just drone magnets.
[ May 05, 2006, 08:56 AM: Message edited by: MichaelW ]