Wasp Nest in the Swarm Trap

[Waveeater]

Here's one for ya. I took a peak at a swarm trap in the back yard yesterday morning before work and noticed a few bees checking it out. Came home at 5:30pm and noticed a rather large swarm hanging under the trap (Old 10 frame deep). After speaking with Iddee I decided to let them move into the trap and move them later. I came out this morning and they were still under the trap and had not moved. I decided to go ahead and take them down, so I dropped them into a cardboard box and then in to a hive body. What I found was that they had already pulled 2 large pieces of comb from the bottom of the trap and when I check the inside of the trap there was a wasp nest inside although I did not see any wasp.

Never had this happen before. Do you think they did not enter due to the nest?

[paus]

Bees are not cohabitable with wasp.  I NEED TO LOOK IN MY TRAPS AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK AND IF WASP ARE IN THE TRAP USE ANOTHER TRAP WITH OPENING FACING ANOTHER DIRECTION.

[BeeMaster2]

Wave,
I once had the same thing happen with a very large swarm hanging on the bottom and totally covering  the entrance.  I figured they had already filled the box. When I opened it there were no bees nor wasps. They also had a five inch long piece of comb already built under the box. Bees don?t always do what we expect them to.
Jim

[moebees]

I had a swarm build about a 6 inch piece of comb on the bottom of a trap last year and they didn't move in.  I think in this case it may have been because the trap was wet inside.

[Van, Arkansas, USA]

Master Jim {Bees don?t always do what we expect them to.}

Gold plate that sentence.  Hundred percent agreed.
Blessings

[Bush_84]

Lol as soon as you think you?ve got it figured out they do something different.

[Waveeater]

You may be on to something about the inside being wet. I have a couple of swarm traps that i used particleboard for the bottom board and sometimes it holds moisture And appears damp. I have come to realize that my success rate with these is for less than with other swarm traps with solid wood or standard plywood.

I made some out of advantec and have had no problem with those.