Adapting pollen traps, transferring cutout swarms, and feeding new transfers in your Primal Bee hive.
Setting up and maintaining your Primal Bee hive often involves questions beyond basic assembly — adapting pollen traps, transferring established colonies from cutouts, and feeding new transfers so they draw comb fast. This article covers each.
For first-time installation steps, see Installing a colony. For deeper feeding methodology and 4:1 syrup recipe, see Foundations of hive management.
Pollen collection
The Primal Bee hive doesn't include a built-in pollen collection system, and Primal Bee doesn't currently sell a dedicated pollen trap. Standard entrance-mounted pollen traps may be adaptable to the Primal Bee entrance — compatibility depends on the specific trap's dimensions. Measure the Primal Bee entrance and compare against the trap's specifications before purchasing.
Tip: Share the specific pollen trap you're considering with the team so we can help assess compatibility with your setup.
Handling a cutout swarm
A cutout is a swarm that has established comb in a building, tree, or other cavity. To transfer a cutout into your Primal Bee hive:
Find the queen and temporarily cage her.
Cut any brood comb from the cavity and attach it to nest frames with string or rubber bands, centered in the frame.
Move the queen and as many bees as possible into the Primal Bee nest box.
Allow the remaining bees to follow the queen's pheromones into the hive.
Once resources, queen, and bees are sufficiently transferred, release the queen in a safe spot inside the hive.
Ensure the hive is perfectly level — comb must be centered vertically in the frame so bees draw new comb in straight, manageable lines.
Important: Keeping the hive perfectly level is critical for straight, manageable comb construction. The Primal Bee's stable internal microclimate (one of the benefits of the engineered thermal shell) helps the colony settle and draw comb quickly once the transfer is complete.
Feeding after a transfer
Use a 4:1 ratio — four parts sugar to one part water by weight. Heat the water until very hot (not boiling), stir in the sugar until fully dissolved, then cool before use. This dense syrup stimulates rapid new comb drawing. Feed through the top feeder hole on the feeder lid.
Pro tip: If you have honey available from the old hive, use it instead of sugar syrup — bees prefer it and it's nutritionally superior.
FAQ
Do Primal Bee hives have a way to collect pollen from the bees?
Not built in. Aftermarket pollen traps designed for standard hive entrances can potentially be adapted for use with the Primal Bee entrance. Since traps vary in design and dimensions, check the specific trap's measurements against the Primal Bee entrance dimensions before buying. Share the specific pollen trap you're considering with us and we can help you assess whether it'll work with your setup.
What pollen traps work with Primal Bee hives?
Primal Bee doesn't currently sell a Primal Bee-specific pollen trap. Standard entrance-mounted pollen traps may be adaptable to the Primal Bee entrance, but compatibility depends on the specific trap's dimensions. If you have a particular pollen trap in mind, let us know and we can help you check whether it'll fit your hive.
How do I handle a cutout swarm from a tree or building?
For a cutout — a swarm that has established comb in a building, tree, or other cavity — follow these steps:
Find the queen and temporarily cage her.
Cut any brood comb from the cavity and attach it to nest frames with string or rubber bands, centered in the frame.
Move the queen and as many bees as possible into the Primal Bee nest box.
The remaining bees will follow the queen's pheromones into the hive.
Once resources, queen, and bees are sufficiently transferred, release the queen in a safe spot inside the hive.
Ensure the hive is perfectly level — comb must be centered vertically in the frame so bees draw new comb in straight, manageable lines.
If you have questions about your specific cutout scenario, feel free to ask and we'll help.
What is the proper sugar-to-water ratio for feeding after a transfer?
Use a 4:1 ratio — four parts sugar to one part water by weight. Heat the water until very hot (not boiling) and stir in the sugar until fully dissolved, then cool before use. This dense syrup stimulates rapid new comb drawing. Feed through the top feeder hole. If you have honey available from the old hive, that's preferable to syrup.