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Author Topic: Swarm trap attachment to tree or structure  (Read 1718 times)

Offline yes2matt

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Swarm trap attachment to tree or structure
« on: November 22, 2020, 09:53:24 am »
Help! How do you mount and secure your swarm traps?

I'm putting together a couple workshops for the locals in spring. We're going to have a trap-box building 'shop, an optimum placement 'shop and we're going to hang a couple boxes at the host farm as an experience-example.

I'm realizing that I am not satisfied with the way I've attached swarm traps in the past. I usually strap to a tree with wedges or braces to level and secure. But they are a PITA and dangerous to get down a ladder when they are full of bees.

Do you have a favorite method? I know about French cleat but haven't used it. Is it great? Is there a great way especially if using a tree?

Thanks!

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Offline Bob Wilson

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Re: Swarm trap attachment to tree or structure
« Reply #1 on: November 23, 2020, 12:08:22 am »
I use French cleats on my swarm boxes. I like it very much. I set my circular at an angle and cut a 2x4 longways. I put one angled piece on the swarm box and its matching piece I use a small level to screw straight on the tree. Then my box is level.
But I only hang my bait boxes as high as I can reach on foot.

Online BeeMaster2

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Re: Swarm trap attachment to tree or structure
« Reply #2 on: November 23, 2020, 03:18:01 am »
Matt,
Like Bob said,
Only hang them as high as you can reach.
I have thrown a rope over a branch and pulled boxes up to the branch and even went so far as to screw a hook into a branch and put a pulley on it to make it much easier.
I find that the bees are quite happy with a swarm trap that is 6 feet off the ground.
What is more important is the size of the box, what is in it and what attractant is used for them to find it. A deep hive box with one old drawn frame on one side with empty frames in the rest if the box works great for large swarms. A Q tip dipped in lemon grass oil, wiped around the entrance hole, plac d in a sealed baggy and dropped in the bottom will help them find the box for a week or two.
A trap close to a good food source or only water source is more likely to be found than one in the woods with nothing near it.
Hope this helps.
Jim Altmiller
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Offline little john

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Re: Swarm trap attachment to tree or structure
« Reply #3 on: November 23, 2020, 05:57:16 am »
I'm far from being an expert at swarm-trapping, as I live in open countryside, and swarms out here are as rare as rocking-horse poo. But - I did once try, and nearly broke my neck in the process. But - by doing so I did figure out a method of attaching to a tree from a ladder (if you don't have a ladder stand-off) - assuming you still want to hang 'em high up - which I'm not recommending ...

First, pick your tree with the use of a ladder in mind - especially with regard to the softness of the ground. Then, up you go and hammer-in a BIG nail (say, 6") angled slightly downwards into the trunk of the tree, leaving about 4" exposed. This will enable you to then easily remove that nail afterwards.

Make your swarm-box the shape of a small suitcase, so that when holding it at the top of the ladder, your body is not being pushed away from the ladder, as would be the case if the box were (say) a cube. On the rear wall of the swarm box, attach a plank of wood vertically, so that 6-12" extend up above the box. Within that 6- 12", drill a large hole - around one inch diameter. It needs to be large, so that you can easily slot it over and onto the 6" nail - which will be above your head, and thus out of view.

Ok - now you have the swarm box in place, hanging from a nail - then you'll need to secure the box from swinging around in the wind. If the tree-trunk or branch is of relatively small diameter, just loop a ratchet strap around it. If it's too large to get a strap around, then use two more 6" nails to either side of the box, and attach a ratchet strap to those.

With regard to the box entrance, you need something simple which can be closed without any delay - such as a single round hole with a cork to match. What you don't want is something fiddly which might bring the bees out to investigate, with you at the top of that ladder.

All-in-all, it's much better to hang your bait boxes much nearer to the ground - at step-ladder height perhaps ?  Whatever you choose - recommend you place a suitably-sized weight inside your box, and conduct a 'dummy-run' of both placement and recovery, 'cause once a colony is inside that box, it's then too late to experiment.
LJ
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