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Harvesting Propolis & Pollen

2K views 2 replies 3 participants last post by  nissarup 
#1 · (Edited)
Harvesting Propolis & Pollen?

Ok.. So I've seen pollen traps for TBHs before, it's really a no brainer... But what if you want to set up a propolis trap and collect some? I'm trying to figure out a logical way to do so without being stupid about it.

I've seen some TBH bars which seem to have a 1/4" spacer that goes to the side of them? Not real sure why, but got to wondering if I couldn't just do something similar and pull spacers as needed to place a propolis trap.

What are your thoughts?
 
#3 ·
Re: Harvesting Propolis & Pollen?

I only recently got bees but is interested in harvesting propolis as well. I started scraping a little off the plastic covers underneath the roof on my hives. That got me a little.
I saw that you could buy some covers that where flexible and full of holes that the bees would fill, and then you could take the cover, put it in the freezer and flex it to pop off the propolis. I didn't want to buy those plates so I have tried to replace the normal plastic cover between the top super and the roof with netting similar to the netting in beesuit-hoods. So far it seems to be working. The bees are filling the netting with propolis from the edge and working inwards.

I haven't had the time, and materials, to build a KTBH yet. When I do I plan on trying to make one full frame and cover the hole with the same netting and using that as the follower board. Hopefully the bees will fill it with propolis.
This is still pure speculation, though :)
 
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