# Best Pollen Trap



## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

Any of the Sundance traps are top of the line. The Sundance II (top trap) is probably hard to get bees with a bottom entrance used to, but it has the cleanest pollen EVER and it's cheaper than the Sundance.


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## BGhoney (Sep 26, 2007)

Thanks Michael, I just googled sundance pollen traps and read the earlier posts on here with Ross and Sundance, I ordered a bottom trap from betterbee this morning. I'll take it to the next bee meeting and do a show and tell.


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## eranorion (Oct 12, 2008)

*Cheapest Trap*

For years I've used a trap available from Betterbee costs 10.00 and harvests the pollen perfectly. http://www.betterbee.com/products.asp?dept=543 No need to adjust your deeps, on and off easily and has a removable tray.. A bit of debris(wings and legs) but no more than my sundance like bottom trap. I winow the pollen over my sink, freeze it and eat it myself and give some to the bee's in the spring mixed with left over honey, into balls. My suggestion, get one for all your hives and have more than you know what to do with. Cheap buy,and sturdy enough to reuse for years. Not alot of keepers collect and use this bee gold, why not?


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## BGhoney (Sep 26, 2007)

I've tried a couple cheap ones, not $10 they were like $25 . The hang on the front type, I wasn't very happy, hard to get a seal bee's kept sneaking around, and if it rained the pollen was toast. I made one last year big one,, bbbbbbbig one , after I got everything lined up it was about 7 inches thick. with a removable pollen gate . Plan was to take pollen 1 day on, 1 day off. They squezzed bye my perfect design. We get lots of pollen here , warm days the buggers are packing them big as peas. I don't mind spending the $ if it works like I hope. If not, they are pretty much pollen bound by August..


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## shawnd (Oct 15, 2006)

BGHoney,
I would like to take a look at the plans for your pollen trap. I have been shopping around and I think I need to make my own. Any pictures or input would be appreciated. Thanks.


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## BGhoney (Sep 26, 2007)

I got my sundance pollen trap a couple of days ago. Very nice trap, well made ,dumped out some pollen yesterday, clean, clean, never tasted it fresh, kinda moist and tastes like flowers. The bees are still learning to get in but they are doing ok.

Its a totally different way to collect pollen , the bees dont get squeezed between anything , they just walk along a screen and dump 70% of the pollen. 

I was going to put the pollen into my dehydrator set on 95 degrees, for about 15 minutes but have been reading that it may over cook. Anyone got any ideas for easy drying without overdoing it. cant wait to start getting 4-6 oz a day....


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## eranorion (Oct 12, 2008)

*Freezyer Pollen*

I collect mine daily and do some winnowing over the sink for wings and things, onto a flat cookie sheet, and then into the freezer for a day or two to somewhat freeze dry. Then I bag it and take my 2 Tbsp. daily right out of the freezer bag into my mouth and power it home with a glass of water. Depends on the source but it sometimes tastes to me like Sweet Tarts and Yeast. Some pollen is really bitter and grainy. The only chore in the whole process is trying to get people to try it, and thoughtfully like it. Just convinced another person to try some today. Selling Pollen is like selling life insurance, you have to mention it to everyone you meet. The ease of the traps I use, is just unhooking them from the entrance and doing husbandry and replacing. It has an easy flap up entrance grid to prop open and allow unhindered ingress when wanted. I've never had a hive that didn't have sufficient stores for themselves while using it right up until the end of Goldenrod. $10.00 each.


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## ga.beeman (Mar 29, 2009)

where are you getting these for $10.00


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## Irene S (Feb 7, 2008)

ga.beeman said:


> where are you getting these for $10.00


he's got a link in the post...
http://www.betterbee.com/products.asp?dept=543

*Plastic Pollen Trap (front mounted) Price : $10.50*


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## Swobee (May 18, 2007)

Some front mounted traps have a plastic removable grate with star-shaped holes in it. I'd like to get a number of just those plastic grates or even a sheet of them to use & make my own traps. Anyone know a source? A co-worker who does a lot of scrapbooking has a paper punch similar to the star shaped openings, but too small for a bee to get through.


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## BGhoney (Sep 26, 2007)

The bees are getting used to the sundance, got 6oz yesterday . Now working on the best way to dry or freeze dry it...sounds like leaving it on a cookie sheet for 3 days in the freeze will, dry it ok. Might try dehydrator , and vacum seal..see what it does to the flavor.


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## eranorion (Oct 12, 2008)

*Pollen Dehydrating*

Window screen or the like, cut to shape of your dehydrator trays, and pour the pollen on thinly and evenly, Dry. Then it will last forever even out of the freezer and no chance of mold. It does lose a bit of taste and texture is crunchier when dry. Forgot to mention the traps I use don't work on hives with a slanted down landing strip, as the collection tray hangs low enough beneath the entrance to contact, and it props the unit up breaking the seal around the hive entrance. My favorite recipe for pollen is 12 grain toast w/butter then pollen grains smeared over the surface topped with peanut butter. Natures perfect food to be sure. DOn't waste time making your own, these work so well. Though for 10.00 each you could buy them and use the diamond shaped plastic grates for your project.


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## xC0000005 (Nov 17, 2004)

I've tried front mount and top mount pollen traps. I did a "Trap off" between a sundance and a "Front door trap". Ounce for ounce I got the same amount from the traps - the advantage was that I got fewer bee parts in the sundance. I did get a lot more whole, live bees in the sundance.


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## SeaCucumber (Jun 5, 2014)

a. Features I'm looking for

probably top mount (I have not learned how to use bottom entrances in early spring.)
the best tech
It has all the features I might want, so I can learn about and test them.
It teaches me what to buy/make if I need more.
b. Sundance II and Sundance top mount

How do the designs differ between manufacturers? 
Which manufacturer and version do you recommend?


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## William Bagwell (Sep 4, 2019)

Thanks for bumping this thread. 

Can not answer your questions other than to say I went with the Sundance top trap since I have read the pollen is much cleaner. Forgot which vendor (Betterbee I think) and they do not currently call them I or II just top or bottom. 

First year beek so have not installed mine yet... Intend to run it next year for my own consumption, (Allergies) not to sell. Have read that pollen traps should not be used continuously. Few days on then a few days turned off. If this strategy works well with out bothering the bees much may buy a couple of the cheaper plastic bottom traps to save some pollen to feed back to the bees. $15 verses $71 is a huge difference and they can pick out the trash themselves And pollen sub is quite expensive.

Question of my own: What is the best way to start training a hive to use a top entrance exclusively? Have a couple of hives with tiny top entrances in the inner cover. Not sure this is enough. Drag out the drill and then start closing off the lower entrance?


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## ifixoldhouses (Feb 27, 2019)

628 DirtRooster on YouTube uses this one, fills them up every day. https://www.amazon.com/Entrance-Rem...19a7c949d0d8083add492d31114b55&language=en_US


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