This is a bee pollen trap.

This is a "smaller" version of a pollen trap. I made this one to fit on the Bambu printers, except for A1 mini (sorry A1 mini ). 

Before we dive into pollen traps, let's Talk about some general information about bee pollen.

So what is bee pollen ? 
Bee pollen consists of tiny "pellets" of plant pollen collected by bees, which they mix with nectar. It's rich in proteins, vitamins, minerals, and enzymes, making it a nutrient-dense "super food".

To harvest bee pollen, beekeepers use special pollen traps, placed at the entrance of the hive. These traps collect pollen from the bees legs as they pass through a mesh (without harming the bees). The pollen is then  dried to preserve its quality and nutritional value.

And this is the pollen trap!

(At the bottom of the page, you'll see the trap in place)

The trap consists of an entrance with a small opening on the side, There you insert the “trap” itself when you want to harvest pollen, under it is a pollen basket where pollen falls down from the bees and which you then empty every evening / afternoon.

The pollen trap "insert" is available in 4 sizes, 5mm(standard) 5,5mm , 6mm(for slightly fatter bees) 8mm(Good as training in the beginning so the bees get used to crawling through holes) Try out which works best for you! All bees are different! 5 mm is what is a good size. I offer a few different sizes .

I have also made an extender so that the entrance reaches the hive depending on how your hive looks. With the extension, the total length from the pollen basket to the opening of the bee hive is 6.5 cm, which is what my hives have as a "landing strip".  If you need a longer one than 4 cm, let me know !

The extension can be attached either with screw in the head entrance or steel wire or glue .

Next to the trap I have made "Entrance stop" that   you can press into place on the extender, some glue may be needed.  It also holds the pollen trap against the hive. 

Usually, a beehive is 39-50 cm wide at the opening, and the trap is only 23cm, so you have to seal the sides so the bees go through the trap.

You can also screw the whole trap to the bee hive if you want but you should not take pollen too often from one and the same bee colony (no more a MAX 4 days in a row) It is a good idea to let the entrance sit on the hive for a few days before putting in the "trap grid" so the bees get used to it.

Inside the entrance, there's a small 7mm hole in the ceiling. This is because there's a risk that the bees can get up under the inner ceiling and then into the "attic," and this is a way for them to get back down again.

If you have a hive like the one in the picture, use 'type B' to attach the pollen trap. There are two holes at the entrance for pressing in the side stops if you don't want to use the extension. If you're using  extender, you can use two small plugs to close the holes.

Fun fackt !

Price for 100 grams of bee pollen is about 8-14$, a good income for beekeepers!

Materials and support.

Should be made in PETG to withstand UV light. But PLA works, I recommend making the pollen basket in PETG to make it easy to clean and because it is in contact with food. I've added support where needed.

Let me know if there is anything you want me to improve or change ! I'll do my best <3

If you use the pollen trap, remember :

 Ensure the hive has enough pollen for the bees. Harvest on dry days, empty traps frequently, and give the bees breaks from the trap.

Made by beekeeper for beekeepers <3

The trap in place

My other beekeeper models:

Click on the pictures to get to the model