Install commercial propolis traps on the hive

Place a commercial propolis trap on top of the uppermost hive body in place of the inner cover. Bees fill the narrow slits (typically 1.5-3 mm wide) with propolis over 2-4 weeks. Remove the filled trap, freeze it for 2-4 hours until the propolis is brittle, then flex the trap to pop out clean propolis pieces.

Why It Works

Propolis traps mimic the small crevices bees naturally seal. The narrow, uniform slits concentrate propolis deposits into a single removable component rather than spreading it thinly across all hive surfaces. A single trap can yield 50-300 g of propolis per season depending on the colony's propolizing tendency and local resin sources.

Tips

• Place traps during the active season (spring through early fall) when bees are actively foraging for resin
• Caucasian and Russian bee strains produce significantly more propolis than Italian bees
• Remove the trap before winter so bees can seal the hive properly for cold weather
• Roll filled traps and store frozen until you are ready to process