My first trap action

[gww]

I may or may not get a swarm.  I had 12 traps out last year and nothing and 16 out this year.  I woke up on 5/7/2016 and have a bunch of bees coming and going from a trap that were not there yesterday.  I have four empty hives about 50 yards away that have a very small amount of bees checking them out also.  I tried to check out the really busy trap and can not tell for sure if they are bringing in pollen or not.  My eyes suck.  Even if I don't catch the bees it gives me renewed faith that it is possible as this is the first time I have seen bees around my traps all year.  If they were not also still checking the four empty hives also, I would be convinced by the action around the one that they had moved in.  The busy hive is the only one that I don't have a full compliment of frames in and I am hoping to move them before I have to do a cut out.

Wish me luck
gww

[Rurification]

Good luck!   I need to get my traps out, too.

[gww]

Ten minutes after I typed this I watched a swarm move in.  I transfered them to a medium box full of foundationless frames.  At night I moved them to about 50 yards away and stuck a cedar branch in the ground in front of the entrance.  This morning there is almost no action at the hive entrance.  There are more bees flying and landing at the trap site but they are not balling up or anything.  I have a bad feeling that I have screwed this up.  I wonder if I should have moved them a few miles instead.   My first thought was to leave them alone in the trap but it was not full of frames and I didn't trust it if it got too heavy.  I would open the top and see if they have left but figure it would make no differrance if they have and bothering them might make them leave if they haven't.
 I am new enough at this that any thoughts are welcome.
Thanks
gww

[iddee]

NEVER have a box less than full of frames. In use, as a trap, in storage, just setting in the apiary. Doesn't matter. Always have boxes full.

[Thebulimicbee]

My first thought would be they left because as soon as they found a new home and before they could start building they were moved to a new home then taken to a new location. They tend to not like that and may have flown off to find a new home without all the drama.

[gww]

Iddee
Yea full frames, I built them last year before I knew better and just left them up this year.  I took the top off to finish filling with frames on the one ten feet away from this one and it was built where only 5 frames would fit.  I am all mediums and have to add a 3 inch shim to use my boxes as traps but all the new ones have ten frames in them.  I did catch another swarm today about 8 miles away from this one.  They moved in at exactly 2 pm.  I will move them tonight and leave them in the box they are in and as soon as I get a bottom board or build one, I will remove the 3 inch shim.

Thebul....

I may have over reacted.  There were lots of bees at the trap site but as it warmed up the hive also became more active.  At two hours before dark the trap site was getting empty and the hive had lots of foragers coming in.  I think I dodged a bullet and things are working out.  To your point of not bothering them too much.  I am all foundationless and am trying to decide when I need to bother them next to keep from getting wonky comb.  I am thinking to go in 7 days from now.  I am a compleet newby and only have hanging out on forums for a couple of years to relie on.   Does seven days seen about right or would three be better or 10.  I want to be as lazy of a bee keeper as possible and want to do what creates the least amout of work but gets the job done.

I welcome all advice.

I did get stung today.  I was wearing slip on shoes with no socks and squished a bee against my ankle.

I am excited cause I had tried last year and had no luck and was wondering if it really worked.  I only had one nuc coming this year cause I am a cheepskate and knew I needed to start with more then one but was hoping to get them all by trapping.  It put me a year behind but knock on wood I will have three hives insted of one to learn from. 
Cheers
gww

[iddee]

"" I am all foundationless and am trying to decide when I need to bother them next to keep from getting wonky comb."

The day before they moved in...........with foundation. Foundationless is great, if you enjoy cutouts.

[gww]

iddee
I don't like or dislike anything.  Too dumb to know better.  I just liked being able to build everthing with out needing to shop.  I am retired and just piddling along.  I have to believe that cut outs suck and that harvesting honey is going to suck but I like to stay home and do things that keep me here.  I give my kids eggs and believe if I make any honey, I will enjoy the giving them some of that even if I don't like getting it.
Cheers
gww

[iddee]

Me and JP love cutouts. It's no where near as bad as it sounds after the first dozen or so. 

The only bad thing about harvesting honey is the tummy ache afterward from eating too much.      

[gww]

iddee
I watched one vidio of you on trap outs and about ten of jp's cut outs.  I like his swarm ones now that I have stood in the middle of two of them and not got stung.  Some of his cut outs look crazy.  Clinbing in a soffit that you barily fit in in bermuda shorts and a tea shirt seems pretty brave.  JP may not have been the one squeezing into the soffit but guys on the ground got one or two stings.  When my blood suger starts coming down a bit when I am around bees I might be good enough to not rubberband the comb in upside down.  I better give it a little more time though.


That why I come here to find those who do it incase I ever decide I want to do it, I will know it can be done.
Cheers
gww