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Author Topic: Swarm Trap Study Results  (Read 101763 times)

Offline snmyork

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Re: Swarm Trap Study Results
« Reply #20 on: March 02, 2009, 10:22:21 pm »
Where do you normally get the lemongrass oil and the swarm traps? I have built a top bar hive and want to put a swarm in it. I do have to put new bee in the Lanstroth hive that I have and will be getting packaged bees for at least one of them. I lost both of my hives this winter.

Offline JP

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Re: Swarm Trap Study Results
« Reply #21 on: March 02, 2009, 10:51:24 pm »
Search the web for lowest price but  I bought some here http://www.glorybeefoods.com/gbf/Shop.cfm?Token=70.171.75.24:{ts_2009-03-02_18:45:59}-419333

You could also buy https://www.dadant.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=329

https://www.dadant.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=331

Or make your own, could even use a 5 gallon bucket.

I believe Bjornbee also sells swarm lure http://www.bjornapiaries.com/index.html


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Offline cundald

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Re: Swarm Trap Study Results
« Reply #22 on: March 02, 2009, 11:27:30 pm »
 :?How much lemongrass oil do you use and how do you use it :?

Cundald
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Offline JP

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Re: Swarm Trap Study Results
« Reply #23 on: March 02, 2009, 11:33:30 pm »
:?How much lemongrass oil do you use and how do you use it :?

Cundald

Its good if you can put in something like a vial to contain it, it will last for a few yrs at least in a vial in the fridge.

It doesn't take much a dab will do you. In a pinch you could put some on a sponge inside a small snack size zip lock bag.


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Offline fermentedhiker

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Re: Swarm Trap Study Results
« Reply #24 on: March 02, 2009, 11:36:33 pm »
What's on the inside of those swarm traps?  I mean do they take Langstrom frames or do you have to essentially do a cutout once they are established?  It seems odd that the three major suppliers that carry it all fail to describe it in ANY depth, just how great a trap it is.
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Offline ArmucheeBee

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Re: Swarm Trap Study Results
« Reply #25 on: March 03, 2009, 08:59:44 am »
The suppliers are the problem in my view.  If you use one of those brown pots, then it would be like a cutout.  If you use a nuc like the posts are talking about on other threads (search) with frames inside then you just take it down and there you go.  Ready made nuc hive and you do not have to move them until they build up the nuc frames.  Do a search on swarm traps to get more info.  We had one just last week.
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Offline Keith13

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Re: Swarm Trap Study Results
« Reply #26 on: March 03, 2009, 09:08:58 am »
What's on the inside of those swarm traps?  I mean do they take Langstrom frames or do you have to essentially do a cutout once they are established?  It seems odd that the three major suppliers that carry it all fail to describe it in ANY depth, just how great a trap it is.

Whats on the inside?

Nothing

Keith

Offline JP

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Re: Swarm Trap Study Results
« Reply #27 on: March 03, 2009, 10:06:42 am »
The commercial ones are ridged on the backside of the lid, starter strips if you will. Some people like to install them horizontally, I like to hang them upright with the hole at the bottom.

The idea is to check them frequently so you don't have to perform a cut-out. Sure, you will have some built comb even after a few days, but its not difficult to get the bees out, you could even use a little beequick if you need it, just don't ever spray it directly on the bees, it could kill them. Just use a little squirt.

Here's a couple I had fun with









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Offline ArmucheeBee

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Re: Swarm Trap Study Results
« Reply #28 on: March 03, 2009, 01:35:15 pm »
JP

do you just shake them into another hive--I assume?  Do you then have to keep that hive closed up for a couple of days so they will not go back to the swarm trap?  seems like a lot of bee stress, is it?  extra steps if you will.
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Offline snmyork

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Re: Swarm Trap Study Results
« Reply #29 on: March 03, 2009, 07:51:37 pm »
Hey JP in the pictures you posted are those the pot shaped one. Just curious because they lokked like more of a bag. If it was a bag were did you get them. I have seen the pot shaped one at Dadant.

Offline JP

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Re: Swarm Trap Study Results
« Reply #30 on: March 03, 2009, 08:35:21 pm »
Hey JP in the pictures you posted are those the pot shaped one. Just curious because they lokked like more of a bag. If it was a bag were did you get them. I have seen the pot shaped one at Dadant.

Same ones from Dadant.

Quote from ArmucheeBee "do you just shake them into another hive--I assume?  Do you then have to keep that hive closed up for a couple of days so they will not go back to the swarm trap?  seems like a lot of bee stress, is it?  extra steps if you will."

I like to go in and catch the queen w/ a queen catcher and set her on top of the hive you want to set the swarm up in.

You can then shake or dump the bees in the new set up. It really helps acceptance if you add a frame of honey and a frame w/ bee bread from another hive in the new set up.

If you have a brood frame to spare from another hive, you could add it as well and the acceptance level goes to near 100% then.

Then, let the queen out and she should march staight on in.

None of this is stressful to the bees.

Don't wait too long or you wind up with this





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« Last Edit: March 03, 2009, 09:26:46 pm by JP »
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Offline Cindi

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Re: Swarm Trap Study Results
« Reply #31 on: March 03, 2009, 08:43:11 pm »
JP, some pretty nice pics you got going on there.  In one of the pictures I see frames leaning up against a box.  Is that elastic bands that are on the frames?  Used to hold the comb in the frames?  Quite the interesting stuff going on there.  We just don't have that much hot weather for those incredible amounts of swarms that you guys got going on way down south where bananas grow, smiling.  Elaborate for me here, please, you know how I need to know.  Have that most wonderfully awesome day, great health.  Cindi
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Offline JP

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Re: Swarm Trap Study Results
« Reply #32 on: March 03, 2009, 09:29:14 pm »
Cindi, they are rubber bands I used to secure the combs from the swarm trap, so that I could transfer those combs into a hive body.


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Offline ArmucheeBee

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Re: Swarm Trap Study Results
« Reply #33 on: March 03, 2009, 10:27:28 pm »
JP

What do you do with all those swarms?  sell em?
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Offline JP

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Re: Swarm Trap Study Results
« Reply #34 on: March 03, 2009, 10:47:05 pm »
JP

What do you do with all those swarms?  sell em?

I mainly hook friends up with them. I currently have 6 friends plus myself that I donate hives to.


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Offline fermentedhiker

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Re: Swarm Trap Study Results
« Reply #35 on: March 03, 2009, 10:58:14 pm »
Thanks for the pics JP, makes it crystal clear.  I've just been debating about getting some as an insurance policy on my potential failure to preempt a swarm from my hives, or to build something along the lines of what Robo showed in another thread recently using sonatubes built to take Langstrom frames.
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Offline JP

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Re: Swarm Trap Study Results
« Reply #36 on: March 03, 2009, 11:25:00 pm »
Your welcome. Good luck catching swarms!


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Offline snmyork

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Re: Swarm Trap Study Results
« Reply #37 on: March 05, 2009, 06:17:09 pm »
JP how early have you seen a swarm? I lost my hives this winter and i live in SC. I just got home from work and I glanceed at my hives and a hive box leaning on the outside of a deep super. Tons of bees around the one leaning on the deep. It just seems early for a swarm around here. It has just warmed up after the snow we had earlier this week. We did take pictures. Any ideas?

Offline JP

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Re: Swarm Trap Study Results
« Reply #38 on: March 05, 2009, 11:51:58 pm »
JP how early have you seen a swarm? I lost my hives this winter and i live in SC. I just got home from work and I glanced at my hives and a hive box leaning on the outside of a deep super. Tons of bees around the one leaning on the deep. It just seems early for a swarm around here. It has just warmed up after the snow we had earlier this week. We did take pictures. Any ideas?

Do you have any honey left in those boxes? Either robbing or swarming has occurred and they've moved in, check them when you get the chance.

I removed one this February 27th that's pretty early, but I really thought I'd see them sooner than that. I was thinking mid Feb but the weather wasn't conducive, it was on the 27th though, 84 degrees.

Early March is when we usually see swarming here in south east Louisiana.


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Offline joker1656

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Re: Swarm Trap Study Results
« Reply #39 on: May 31, 2009, 09:00:36 am »
Maybe there is another thread where this question might be more appropriate.  Sorry, if there is.  But, when doing a cutout, how can you determine the expanse of the colony?  I have two fairly simple ones (so they sound and look now) to do, and I want to make any "incisions" as small as possible. 

This is my first year keeping bees, but I have caught 6 swarms.  I have passed, besides those 6, several other calls on to friends.  I know most beekeepers, at least around here, advise against tackling cutouts.  I guess I will give it a go and see how it turns out. 

Very interesting info in this thread.  Thanks!
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