Bee pollen is a nutrient-dense substance beekeepers collect from their hives. It consists of flower pollen, nectar, and secretions from worker bees, packed into small pellets on their hind legs. Pollen serves as the hive’s primary source of protein, vitamins, and minerals, making it vital for raising young bees and ensuring colony health. Beekeepers harvest this product to sell as a health supplement or to use as a protein-rich feed to supplement colonies during resource scarcity.
Essential Equipment: Understanding the Pollen Trap
Collection relies on a specialized pollen trap, designed to gently detach pellets from returning forager bees. This mechanism uses a screen or grid with precisely sized openings; as the worker bee squeezes through, the pellets are brushed off her legs and fall into a collection tray below. The goal is to collect a portion of the pollen, typically 40% to 50%, while allowing the colony to retain enough for its own needs.
Pollen traps come in two main configurations: the front-mounted (entrance) trap and the bottom-board trap. Front-mounted traps attach directly to the hive entrance, making them easy to install and remove, though they offer less capacity and are more exposed to the elements. Bottom-board traps replace the hive’s standard floor, integrating the collection system within the hive structure, which offers better protection from moisture and debris, resulting in a cleaner harvest. The trap must include a removable collection drawer, and the beekeeper should always have protective gear and a hive tool for safe installation.
Step-by-Step Installation and Collection
Installation requires ensuring the hive entrance is unobstructed, often by removing existing entrance reducers. For a bottom-board trap, the entire hive body must be carefully lifted off the original bottom board and placed directly onto the trap, ensuring the front plate faces the entrance. Front-mounted traps are simply secured over the existing entrance with mounting screws or brackets.
The trap must initially be set in the “off” position for a few days to allow the colony to acclimate to the new entrance and flight path. Once the bees are accustomed to the structure, the beekeeper can engage the trap by moving the internal screen or door into the “on” position, which forces the bees through the restricted grid. The physical harvest involves gently opening the collection drawer, typically located at the side or back of the trap, and removing the collected pollen. This process should be done quickly and calmly to minimize disruption to the bees; the drawer should be immediately closed once emptied.
Responsible Harvesting and Hive Health
Pollen is the sole source of protein for the colony, making its availability non-negotiable for rearing new brood and ensuring long-term survival. Collection must be strictly limited to prevent a protein deficit that could weaken the colony. Traps should only be placed on the strongest, healthiest hives and only during periods of heavy natural pollen flow, such as late spring or early summer.
The trap should never be left on continuously for extended periods; use it intermittently, such as for a few hours per day or on alternate days. The total duration of trapping should be limited to a few weeks per season, even during peak flow, to ensure the bees have sufficient stores for their own immediate and future needs. Regular monitoring of the hive’s brood pattern and stored pollen frames is necessary to confirm the colony is not being deprived of this resource.
Post-Harvest Processing and Storage
Pollen contains a high moisture content, which makes it highly susceptible to mold and rapid spoilage. To preserve its nutritional value and prevent deterioration, the pollen must be processed immediately after removal from the trap. The most common method involves drying the pollen until its moisture content is below 10%, ideally around 5%.
Drying can be achieved using a food dehydrator set to a low temperature (typically between 35 and 45 degrees Celsius), or by spreading the pellets in a thin layer in a well-ventilated, low-humidity area. Once dried, the pollen must be transferred to an airtight container to prevent reabsorbing moisture. For long-term preservation, the dried product can be stored in a freezer, maintaining quality for up to a year or more.