Worldwide Beekeeping

Beekeeping => General Beekeeping => Topic started by: Finally Home on January 22, 2014, 07:41:07 pm

Title: Propolis traps
Post by: Finally Home on January 22, 2014, 07:41:07 pm
Looking for all the who-what-when-why & where's to using these.
When do you put them on?
Should you do it only on an older established hive?
Will temps play a factor?
How often should it be used on the same hive?
I'm sure there are many other questions to so I'm looking forward to another learning class here. 
Title: Re: Propolis traps
Post by: Jen on January 22, 2014, 09:03:13 pm
Hi Fin- I'm more curious what you will use our propolis for?
Title: Re: Propolis traps
Post by: Finally Home on January 22, 2014, 09:38:05 pm
Well my wife wants to make some of the tincture and a friend works at a Botanical Garden place that said they would be interested in purchasing any we would have to sell (if we choose to collect it).  Nothing in stone, checking the process out first before we make any decisions.
Title: Re: Propolis traps
Post by: Jen on January 22, 2014, 09:56:48 pm
Propolise tinctures can be hard to find. I have a recipe on "Products of the hive" if your interested  8)
Title: Re: Propolis traps
Post by: Finally Home on January 22, 2014, 09:59:48 pm
That's the one she looked at :)
Title: Re: Propolis traps
Post by: Riverrat on January 22, 2014, 10:32:14 pm
I used them one year on several hives. I placed them on the hive after I removed supers in early fall. The bees bring in more propolis in the fall.  When temps are dipping I removed traps and put in freezer letting them freeze. Remove from freezer and bust the frozen propolis loose from trap. I found it to be a real pain to bust loose even after freezing. Never messed with them after that I get just as much scraping frames and hive bodies throughout the year in my opinion.
Title: Re: Propolis traps
Post by: Jen on January 22, 2014, 10:45:02 pm
Fin- it would be worth a try, maybe one to see how it works for you. I was given a prop screen and the same happened as MinnieMo. My screen was pretty old, don't know if that makes any difference. I do a hive check once a month during the summer, if you do the check during the hot part of the afternoon, the prop just comes off like frosting with a scraper or spatula.
Title: Re: Propolis traps
Post by: Finally Home on January 23, 2014, 06:44:44 am
Much appreciate the advice   ;)
Title: Re: Propolis traps
Post by: Perry on January 23, 2014, 11:38:08 am
I would be inclined to find which hives seem to make an abundance of propolis, and use those. I have some that make tons and some that hardly make any.
I am going to put the trap over top of last super, and then set a bottom board on the top so that there is a draft created. This should get them filling it up quickly.
Title: Re: Propolis traps
Post by: Edward on January 23, 2014, 07:40:46 pm
Buckfast bees and elgon bees like to make alot of propolis.

mvh Edward  :P
Title: Re: Propolis traps
Post by: Jen on January 23, 2014, 08:22:17 pm
These are euopeans and this particular hive was putting this much prop out every couple of weeks. The entire hive was just frosted like cake with prop. It was sure easy to gather, came off like peanut butter.
 
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