Pollen and propolis are collected by directing the bees' natural behaviour. The equipment is simple; what matters is timing and what happens after harvest.

Pollen traps

A perforated grid the bee must pass through. As she squeezes past, the pollen loads on her legs are stripped and fall into a drawer.

• Entrance type: Easy to fit and check
• Floor type: Larger capacity
• Top type: Sits above the hive

The common requirement: the bee must pass without undue difficulty, and must not be able to reach the drawer.

Pollen processing

• Dryer: Must run at low temperature; heat damages nutritional value and colour
• Cleaner: Removes bee parts, wax fragments and foreign matter
• Freezer: An alternative to drying; preserves nutritional value better
• Airtight containers

Fresh pollen is very moist; mould growth begins within hours. The drawer must be emptied daily, twice a day in hot weather.

Propolis screens

A finely perforated plastic or metal screen placed in place of the crown board. The bees treat the holes as gaps and fill them with propolis.

The propolis obtained is clean; scraped propolis contains timber, paint and wax.

Propolis harvest

When the screen is full it is removed and frozen. Propolis becomes brittle in the cold and the pieces fall out when the screen is flexed.

At room temperature it is sticky and will not separate. A freezer is therefore a required part of the equipment.

Residue warning

Pollen and propolis from hives under acaricide treatment may carry residues. Traps and screens must be removed during treatment periods.

The cost to the colony

A pollen trap cuts the colony's protein intake. Run continuously at full capacity, brood rearing stops.

Intermittent operation and watching the brood area are required; if it begins to shrink, the trap is closed.