Swarm Catching

[Terri Yaki]

This showed up on Reddit, I think Imma give it a try. Did I read that tulip poplar is popular with the bees? I have a yuuuuge one of those in my front yard and I could raise the bucket with a rope over a branch.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Beekeeping/comments/1azmnw4/caught_my_first_swarm/

[Ben Framed]

ben

Good point and just another advantage of placing frames with foundation in our swarm traps IMHO.

I got no proof beyond others written opinions but still say foundation makes the space seem smaller to a bee and makes it harder for them to measure the space.  Most advice out there is foundationless except for a frame or two of brood comb but I have no doubt bees might move anywhere once.

Robos' method might me a good consideration and compromise for those who do not have confidence in the bees 'agreeing' about enough bee space when adding foundation to their frames in a swarm box; (considering the fear of failing new white comb)..   

I run 4 foundationless frames with wires and 1 drawn brood comb.   I leave them at least a week to settle before I move them.   This gives them time to draw comb down to the wires and for the queen to start laying.

https://youtu.be/92EgotwfZCA

[gww]

ben
I will just say. I have never had a problem with new comb if I kept the frames from swaying.

Not really pertinent to this thread, but I have had a problem that many don't have by leaving the bees in instead of moving them quickly and that is that I run all medium and my traps are deep and comb below the frame makes transfer harder and can involve rubber bands.
However, the reason I try and move them same day is something I heard about swarms being in search mode for a home for three or so days and if you move them then, they think they picked the spot and seem to stay plus just cause they are hanging out in a box, it does not mean they are not still arguing about the best place to live.  The way robo does it kinda guarantees they are in the box and staying if they are bringing in pollen.  I admit to being fooled once or twice and bringing home traps that ended up being empty.   

I have not had swarms leave after I hive them.  This part is not really advice but just discussion and my thinking on the matter.  More then one way to skin a cat and such.   Since I just put a trap back where I take one with bees in it, I try and save driving.  Traps are not as free as it seems if they are spread out a bit and they should be.  Putting a bunch with in a half mile of each other seems a waste of resources.  Getting help from friends and relatives is a god send and a phone call saves lot of gas rather then personally checking everything. 
I try and keep the bees as free as possible and am lazy to boot. 

I do say this, before I would put up a deep and a medium together, I would split them and have one excellent trap and one mediocre trap and would spread them a mile plus apart and feel I had increased my odds by doing so.

Ps  On robos method, if the frames are swinging and they have comb, it could smash as many bees or more bees then if it fell.  Bet he doesn't let them swing.  I would personally rather move bees with little or no comb then have a lot banging against each other.

[Ben Framed]

Good post. Thanks gww
I suppose the wire he places in the middle of his open frames, which the bees intertwine with their comb makes the difference .

[Terri Yaki]

I once heard that if you ask three different beeks the same question, you'd get four different answers.

If I was a bee looking for a new home, an empty box with some existing comb and place to make more overhead would bee what I'd bee looking for. So...that's what I'm giving them.

[The15thMember]

I once heard that if you ask three different beeks the same question, you'd get four different answers.

I was thinking this reading through this thread.  I said to my sister, "Poor Terri, I bet this whole conversation isn't really helping him much."    I don't put up swarm traps, so I (mercifully for you  ) don't have anything to add, but something I take away from this thread is that a lot of different things will work, and it kind of depends on what the bees in your area are looking for.  For example, I'd imagine that bees in a northern climate are looking for a smaller cavity, because they don't want to have to heat a big one over the winter, but bees in a southern climate probably aren't as concerned with a cavity being too large.   

If I was a bee looking for a new home, an empty box with some existing comb and place to make more overhead would bee what I'd bee looking for. So...that's what I'm giving them.

Go for it.  Experiment and see what works for you, because clearly there is more than one way to skin this cat, as gww said. 

[Bill Murray]

There ya go Terri, as member said try it out, if it works do it again, if it works the next time your probably tracking. If it dosnt work, then dosnt work again try something different. I like the attitude. Wish more people had it.

[Terri Yaki]

On lemongrass oil...I see plenty of it on fleabay where they tout it as medicinal of some sort. Is there anything special about the stuff used to attract a swarm? And according to Mrs. Terri Yaki, we have two lemongrass plants around our patio. Can I use that some way?

[Michael Bush]

I have heard, but can't verify, that some varieties are better.  All the ones I've tried work fine.

Lemon Grass essential oil = Essential oil used for swarm lure. Lemongrass oil contains all of the compounds known to affect the behavior of the bees and all but one of the compounds of Nasonov pheromone.


Lemongrass oil major components:
geraniol (isomer of nerol)
nerolic acid (isomer of geranic acid)
(E)-citral (geranial)
(Z)-citral (neral)
geranic acid (isomer of nerolic acid)
farnesol

https://bushfarms.com/beesterms.htm#l

[The15thMember]

And according to Mrs. Terri Yaki, we have two lemongrass plants around our patio. Can I use that some way?

You could try tincturing it in alcohol, but it would be weaker than the essential oil, and it would probably evaporate faster.  I made some lemongrass tincture from ours for medicinal use, although I haven't had occasion to use any yet.  It's antispasmodic and antiseptic. 

[Terri Yaki]

My section 8 housing is up and properly baited, now I must pray to the swarm gods. I'm seriously thinking about placing a bucket trap like the one I posted and see if I can snag one that way too. It should look good hanging out in my front yard like that, right next to my ham radio antenna. Seeing as it's 35 and raining right now I don't think there's any rush on that though.

I also might have a good place to park my hives. I think that the place I had in mind is too close to my burn pile and I really don't have another place to put my burn pile. Out by the garage there's a concrete knee wall that I can use. I can drill and place anchors to strap them down. If I place them facing west, they'll overlook the concrete pad and to the east, it's grass. Which sounds best? Actually, I could place them facing any direction I wanted.

[Kathyp]

People usually say face them east for the AM sun. I have had them faced every way and I think whatever works for you will be fine.

[Terri Yaki]

People usually say face them east for the AM sun. I have had them faced every way and I think whatever works for you will be fine.

Thanks. I hear that a lot and it makes me wonder...The hives aren't big enough for which way they face to matter. They get cooked the same no matter which way they point. I'm thinking that it's more important to get morning sun as early as possible. They'll be dumping all their trash on a big concrete pad if I face them west. I don't know if I like that idea or not. I've heard that it would interesting to see what happens out front of the hive with them facing the concrete. Maybe face one each direction for a science project.

[The15thMember]

Just be sure whichever way you face them that you position them so you can easily get behind the hives.  You are going to want to inspect them from the back or at least the side, so just think about that if you are planning on butting them up against a wall. 

[BeeMaster2]

I would definitely want to use the cement as their dumping ground. It lets you see what is coming out of the hive. Grass usually hides small amounts of dead bees and drones. It also hides yellow jackets and other small predators.
Jim Altmiller

[Terri Yaki]

Just be sure whichever way you face them that you position them so you can easily get behind the hives.  You are going to want to inspect them from the back or at least the side, so just think about that if you are planning on butting them up against a wall.

Thanks, I will make sure I have four sided access. If things get heavy, my neighbor and I and can tag team them. And I haven't forgotten about that hive tool. I recently realized that I have a piece of 'kept' equipment that has what I think is thick enough steel on it to make some. Either way, I have that thin one that I cut out to lift the frames and can use something heavier to pry them apart.

[Terri Yaki]

We're supposed to hit 66 F today so our local bees will be flying. I'll be out there looking for activity. I've heard plenty that spring is 'swarm season' but how early could we expect to see that happen? I don't think there's any flower activity yet so what will they all be doing?

[BeeMaster2]

Terri,
Right now your bees are building up their numbers. Make sure they have plenty of food to feed their young. Feel how heavy they are. If they have lots of honey and pollen bread stored up, make sure they have a water source nearby. They need water to dilute honey.
Jim Altmiller

[Terri Yaki]

I don't have any bees yet but I'll store this information for next year.

[Kathyp]

I've heard plenty that spring is 'swarm season' but how early could we expect to see that happen? I don't think there's any flower activity yet so what will they all be doing?

I would guess it has something to do with where you live. They usually do some building up and have eggs in the hive before swarming.  I have gone after swarms on a warmish day in the snow.  I have observed the thunderstorms seemed to increase my swarm calls.  Pressure changes?

Anyway, good luck with the bait hives!