Author Topic: Swarm trap question (Read 4468 times)

Bush_84 · « **on:** June 24, 2018, 01:22:29 pm »

So I?m still a big swarm noob. I?ve caught my second swarm. One last year and one this year. Both in the same exact spot. It seems that once I catch a swarm and move it to my stand (same yard), I can?t hang it up again for a few weeks. If I hang something up I get bees returning. A few weeks may as well be the rest of the swarm season. Can I hang more than one box on this tree? It?s a huge tree. The kind you can?t get your arms around. I could probably fit four on there and. To come close to touching. Will this work or even be useful?

Sputnik · « **Reply #1 on:** June 24, 2018, 01:54:08 pm »

I'm going to try it next spring. I have a magnolia tree that swarms love. It had 2 swarms in it at the same time this year. I caught a total of 4 in it this year 2 last year. I put a 3 box nuc in the tree.

iddee · « **Reply #2 on:** June 24, 2018, 03:45:06 pm »

Hey, sputnik, did you know swarms move into boxes they fit.
3 frame swarms fit in 3 frame boxes.
10 frame swarms fit in 10 frame boxes.
Why do you only want the small swarms?

moebees · « **Reply #3 on:** June 24, 2018, 04:58:42 pm »

Quote from: Bush_84 on June 24, 2018, 01:22:29 pm

So I?m still a big swarm noob. I?ve caught my second swarm. One last year and one this year. Both in the same exact spot. It seems that once I catch a swarm and move it to my stand (same yard), I can?t hang it up again for a few weeks. If I hang something up I get bees returning. A few weeks may as well be the rest of the swarm season. Can I hang more than one box on this tree? It?s a huge tree. The kind you can?t get your arms around. I could probably fit four on there and. To come close to touching. Will this work or even be useful?

If I understand your question, and what you are doing, it sounds like your swarm trap is close to where you are placing the hive? So you are seeing foragers return to the swarm trap location after you remove the swarm? That is going to happen unless you move the swarm a few miles away from the trap location. If you cannot do that the only thing you can do is move them after dark. Then place branches and leaves in front of the entrance so that when the foragers emerge in the morning they will reorient. Otherwise they will keep returning to the trap location because that is where they know home is.

Bush_84 · « **Reply #4 on:** June 24, 2018, 05:43:04 pm »

It?s not right next to my hives. It?s probably a couple hundred yards away or less. When I moved my swarm trap last year I did so when it was dark. I also went to the trouble of locking them in for a few days and put a branch in front of the entrance. I still had a small handful of foragers go back to the swarm trap. I?m just looking for a way to keep a swarm trap up after I catch a swarm.

moebees · « **Reply #5 on:** June 24, 2018, 06:44:33 pm »

Quote from: Bush_84 on June 24, 2018, 05:43:04 pm

It?s not right next to my hives. It?s probably a couple hundred yards away or less. When I moved my swarm trap last year I did so when it was dark. I also went to the trouble of locking them in for a few days and put a branch in front of the entrance. I still had a small handful of foragers go back to the swarm trap. I?m just looking for a way to keep a swarm trap up after I catch a swarm.

a couple hundred yards is not far enough.

Bush_84 · « **Reply #6 on:** June 24, 2018, 07:43:59 pm »

Quote from: moebees on June 24, 2018, 06:44:33 pm

Quote from: Bush_84 on June 24, 2018, 05:43:04 pm
It?s not right next to my hives. It?s probably a couple hundred yards away or less. When I moved my swarm trap last year I did so when it was dark. I also went to the trouble of locking them in for a few days and put a branch in front of the entrance. I still had a small handful of foragers go back to the swarm trap. I?m just looking for a way to keep a swarm trap up after I catch a swarm.

a couple hundred yards is not far enough.

I understand that. I don?t have an out yard to bring them three miles away. I did when I lived further north but I found keeping bees in more than one location to be a huge pain.

BeeMaster2 · « **Reply #7 on:** June 25, 2018, 12:12:16 am »

Bush,
If it is only a few, I would not worry about them. I usually wait about a week or so before I put a swarm trap back in the same location after catching one. It may bee that you are seeing scouts especially if you are putting it up 3 weeks later.
Jim

cao · « **Reply #8 on:** June 25, 2018, 01:51:13 am »

Quote from: Bush_84 on June 24, 2018, 01:22:29 pm

So I?m still a big swarm noob. I?ve caught my second swarm. One last year and one this year. Both in the same exact spot. It seems that once I catch a swarm and move it to my stand (same yard), I can?t hang it up again for a few weeks. If I hang something up I get bees returning. A few weeks may as well be the rest of the swarm season. Can I hang more than one box on this tree? It?s a huge tree. The kind you can?t get your arms around. I could probably fit four on there and. To come close to touching. Will this work or even be useful?

Most of my swarms have been caught the "old fashioned" way but, I don't see any reason why you couldn't hang more than one trap nearby. Trapping swarms is like fishing. The more poles in the water, the more chances to catch the big one.

Sputnik · « **Reply #9 on:** June 25, 2018, 05:54:05 am »

Quote from: iddee on June 24, 2018, 03:45:06 pm

Hey, sputnik, did you know swarms move into boxes they fit.
3 frame swarms fit in 3 frame boxes.
10 frame swarms fit in 10 frame boxes.
Why do you only want the small swarms?

It is a 5 frame nuc 1 deep and 2 shallow. I'm not picky about swarm size. Larger is better, I will offer a hive to any homeless bee I can find.

paus · « **Reply #10 on:** June 25, 2018, 10:02:15 am »

When I catch a swarm I leave them in there for a week or three. I have a friend that gets them out as soon as possible, he caught three swarms in one swarm box the same day. All three swarms were removed that day. He caught 46 swarms last year. I am thinking I'll set a small and a large in the same area and see how that works.

BeeMaster2 · « **Reply #11 on:** June 25, 2018, 10:28:42 am »

Quote from Paus,
I have a friend that gets them out as soon as possible, he caught three swarms in one swarm box the same day.
I would love to bee able to douse that spot. I bet there are 2 or three underground rivers below it.
Jim

moebees · « **Reply #12 on:** June 25, 2018, 12:36:54 pm »

Quote from: paus on June 25, 2018, 10:02:15 am

When I catch a swarm I leave them in there for a week or three. I have a friend that gets them out as soon as possible, he caught three swarms in one swarm box the same day. All three swarms were removed that day. He caught 46 swarms last year. I am thinking I'll set a small and a large in the same area and see how that works.

Way too much effort I would said. Makes me tired just reading this.

Bush_84 · « **Reply #13 on:** June 25, 2018, 02:34:37 pm »

At this stage in my beekeeping venture I?m just trying to get to the point of being self sustainable. If I can move that along by catching swarms I?d like to catch as many as possible. We don?t have many here in the north. There?s a commercial guy a bit nw of me and he must have a yard near me somewhere.

Dustymunky · « **Reply #14 on:** June 25, 2018, 11:43:34 pm »

Not sure how your yard is set up. If you have the equipment, stick a trap where you would actually like the hive to be. You might get lucky and its super easy. Ive caught 3 swarms this year with empty equipment, 3 feet off the ground. They prefer shady or afternoon shade spots. Traps in full sun all day long get scout activity but no takers for me.

paus · « **Reply #15 on:** June 26, 2018, 10:48:04 am »

Jim just read your response, how about drilling for black gold.

Bush_84 · « **Reply #16 on:** July 08, 2018, 10:16:48 pm »

I?m up to three swarms in the past two weeks. I figure next year I?ll hang two traps at the locations I caught swarms this year. If I catch three swarms every summer I?ll be in real good shape. If I catch more than that I?ll be selling bees.

cao · « **Reply #17 on:** July 08, 2018, 10:44:29 pm »

I had a swarm move into a swarm trap just sitting in front of my garage a couple days ago. It is where I store some of my extra equipment. Sometimes you just get lucky.

BeeMaster2 · « **Reply #18 on:** July 08, 2018, 11:13:00 pm »

Quote from: paus on June 26, 2018, 10:48:04 am

Jim just read your response, how about drilling for black gold.

Paus,
I think that is what Troutdog did that professionally.
Jim

Bush_84 · « **Reply #19 on:** July 09, 2018, 12:18:30 pm »

Picked up my third swarm this morning. It was a bit of a drive but worth it. I was at her house before 7 and they were bearding. It was under 70 f out. When I got home I put them on the stand and opened their entrance. They immediately did this. The box is SO full of bees. It was only 73 f at the time I took this pic.