Trying New Methods to Trap Propolis

[JBG]

HAB, re the red propolis in the video. I'm not sure what some of the claims are about the red propolis, all the stuff I have seen is in Japanese. The Japanese are wild about propolis in general and they are paying a premium for many of the Brazilian varietys like the red.

[Durandal]

brac

I did not notice any reduction in honey. I had screens on hives that were also collecting pollen. 1 colony alone I trapped .2 pounds of propolis, 2 pounds of pollen, and 218.7 pounds of honey.

Of course, I trap propolis at the end of the the main honey flow and do not take more honey off the hive. Around here late summer/autumn seems the best time.

Michael

I've used all the plastic injection molded type traps. They all break. I have broken every single one of them. They may have some flex when they are warm but certainly zero when cold. The plastics simply do not have enough elasticity to the them and are too dense in structure to achieve a simple method to remove the propolis.

Noelle

I ended up using two types of screens is a PET polyester and the other a fiberglass type. When you break the strands on both you will see many smaller fibrous strands. I have seen no damage to the screens yet from the freezing, flexing, and tight rolling.

[jdpro5010]

Why place the screening so close to the frames? Why not leave bee space there?

[Durandal]

Because I need to have yet another piece of equipment.

Simple is more at this point.

I get less propolis but it is easier to harvest and I do not have to build X number of flimsy shims that WILL get wrecked. This way, all I need to do is put a screen on and take a screen off. Nothing extra to build, no winter prepping and paiting or boiling no extra cleaning.

Simple, Fast, Clean.