Product Overview
Bee Smart Pollen Patty Holder Trivet
Elevate pollen patties so bees can better access and patrol the feeding area
The Bee Smart Pollen Patty Holder Trivet is a reusable feeding accessory that supports a pollen or protein patty above the frame top bars in a Langstroth hive. Its raised open-grid design preserves accessible space beneath and around the feed instead of allowing a soft patty to rest directly against the top bars.
In our experience at Lappe's Bee Supply, that space underneath the patty is the most important practical benefit. Bees have better access around and beneath the feed, and the feeding area is easier to inspect. We find this especially useful when small hive beetles are a concern, although the Trivet is a feeding-management accessory rather than a small hive beetle treatment.
Product Details
- Brand: Bee Smart
- SKU: FEED-4244
- Product type: Reusable pollen/protein patty holder
- Construction: Blue food-safe plastic
- Design: Raised open grid
- Grid size: Approximately 4" × 6"
- Prong height: Approximately 1/2"
- Feed capacity: Up to approximately one-half of a typical pollen patty; actual feeding quantity should be based on colony consumption
- Hive compatibility: Standard Langstroth equipment
- Assembly: No mechanical assembly required
- Included: One Bee Smart Pollen Patty Holder Trivet
- Sold separately: Pollen/protein patty and any feeding shim or spacer needed for additional overhead clearance
Why Raise a Pollen Patty Above the Top Bars?
A pollen patty placed directly across the frame top bars can create a covered area beneath the soft feed. The Trivet elevates the patty on an open grid, giving bees access beneath the feeding area and making that area easier to inspect.
Lappe's Bee Supply has found this raised arrangement particularly useful when small hive beetles are a concern because it reduces concealed space directly beneath the patty.
Important: The Trivet does not trap, treat, prevent or eliminate small hive beetles. Continue normal colony monitoring and small hive beetle management while using it.
Is This Pollen Patty Holder Right for Your Hive?
This Trivet is most useful for beekeepers who already feed pollen or protein patties and want to keep the feed elevated above the frame top bars. It can be particularly useful during brood buildup, periods when natural pollen is limited or inconsistent, or when small hive beetles are a concern around supplemental protein.
If suitable natural pollen is readily available and the colony does not need supplemental protein, the Trivet has little purpose by itself. Its use should follow the colony's need for supplemental feeding rather than a fixed calendar date.
Check Clearance Before Ordering
The Trivet has approximately 1/2" tall prongs that raise the grid above the frame top bars. Additional overhead space is needed for the pollen or protein patty placed on top.
Equipment above the feeding area should not compress the patty enough to eliminate the raised space the Trivet is intended to maintain. If your hive configuration does not provide enough room, add a correctly sized feeding shim or similar spacer.
Lappe's Bee Supply offers an Assembled Wooden Bee Hive Shim in 5-, 8-, and 10-frame configurations for setups that need additional feeding space.
How to Set Up the Bee Smart Pollen Patty Holder Trivet
- Confirm that the hive has adequate overhead clearance for the Trivet and the pollen patty.
- Place the Trivet flat over the frame top bars in the feeding area.
- Place an appropriately sized portion of pollen or protein patty on the raised grid without excessive overhang.
- Make sure the holder sits properly and remains stable.
- Inspect the feeding area during normal colony checks and replenish feed according to colony consumption.
Lappe's Bee Supply Apiary Note: Feed what the bees will use, keep the patty elevated and accessible, and do not expect the Trivet to replace good small hive beetle management. We match pollen-patty portions to colony consumption rather than automatically feeding an entire packaged patty or treating the holder's capacity as a feeding recommendation.
What Is Included and What Do You Need Separately?
You receive one Bee Smart Pollen Patty Holder Trivet. The pollen/protein patty is not included.
You will also need standard Langstroth hive equipment and sufficient overhead space for the feeding setup. A compatible feeding shim or spacer may be needed for additional clearance. No separate mechanical assembly of the Trivet is required.
Cleaning, Inspection and Reuse
Lappe's Bee Supply removes accumulated wax, propolis and dried feed, rinses the Trivet with water and allows it to dry completely before reuse or storage.
Staining, discoloration and ordinary propolis or feed residue are normal signs of hive use and do not automatically mean the holder needs replacement. We have reused sound Trivets over multiple seasons when they were cleaned, dried and stored properly.
Replace the holder when cracking, broken grid sections, significant permanent warping, brittleness or other deterioration prevents it from sitting properly, reliably supporting the feed or maintaining the raised feeding space. There is no fixed calendar-based replacement interval.
Related Feed and Feeding Supplies
The Trivet is not limited to one particular Lappe's Bee Supply pollen-patty product. Choose supplemental protein according to your colony and feeding program. Options include AP23 Pollen Patties with Honey-B-Healthy and other products in our Honey Bee Feed & Feeders collection.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Bee Smart Pollen Patty Holder Trivet do?
The Bee Smart Pollen Patty Holder Trivet supports a pollen or protein patty above the frame top bars. Its raised open-grid design maintains accessible space beneath and around the feed so bees can better access and patrol the feeding area.
Is the Trivet a small hive beetle treatment?
No. The Trivet can reduce the concealed space directly beneath a pollen patty by elevating the feed, which Lappe's Bee Supply has found useful when small hive beetles are a concern. It does not trap, treat, prevent or eliminate small hive beetles and should be used alongside normal beetle and colony management.
Is a pollen patty included?
No. One Bee Smart Pollen Patty Holder Trivet is included per unit. Pollen or protein patties are purchased separately.
Do I need to use an entire pollen patty?
No. Lappe's Bee Supply recommends matching the amount of supplemental protein to what the colony can consume in a reasonable period. The Trivet can accommodate up to approximately one-half of a typical pollen patty, but that capacity is not a feeding recommendation.
Will I need a feeding shim?
A shim or similar spacer is needed when the existing hive configuration does not provide enough overhead clearance for the Trivet and pollen patty. The equipment above the feeding area should not compress the patty and eliminate the raised space beneath it.
When should I use the Trivet?
Use the Trivet when feeding a pollen or protein patty. Supplemental protein is commonly considered when colonies are building brood and suitable natural pollen is insufficient, inconsistent or temporarily unavailable. The decision should be based on colony conditions rather than a fixed calendar date.
Can the Bee Smart Pollen Patty Holder Trivet be reused?
Yes. Lappe's Bee Supply has reused structurally sound Trivets over multiple seasons when they were cleaned, dried and stored properly. Staining, discoloration and ordinary propolis buildup do not by themselves require replacement.
When should the Trivet be replaced?
Replace the Trivet when cracking, broken grid sections, significant permanent warping, brittleness or other deterioration prevents it from sitting properly, supporting the feed or maintaining the raised feeding space. Functional condition matters more than cosmetic appearance or age.
