Data: Development of a Modular 3D-Printed Pollen Trap for Bumble Bee Monitoring

Accurate pollen collection is essential for understanding bumble bee foraging dynamics, assessing environmental risks, and monitoring colony health. Effective monitoring systems provide critical insights into pesticide exposure, floral resource availability, and pollinator health. This study compares the efficiency of two pollen trap designs, the newly developed JKI trap and the USDA 3D-printed trap, in collecting pollen from Bombus terrestris colonies. Field tests using traps with two entrance diameters (6.5 mm and 7.2 mm) showed that the JKI trap collected approximately 24 times more pollen than the USDA trap on average (p < 0.001), with no significant effect of entrance diameter on pollen yield. The JKI trap’s superior performance, coupled with its design flexibility and potential for adaptation across different Bombus species and pollinators, makes it a valuable tool for long-term ecological monitoring, floral resource assessments, and pesticide risk studies.