What are you using for swarm traps?

[Bob Wilson]

I made some tall swarm boxes, several years ago, from the horizontalhives.com website. When I make more, I will probably make standard deep hive bodies with solid bottom boards and migratory lids.
These might be harder to hang, but they can house a new swarm for weeks. My present ones have a lot of empty space under the 6 deep frames held at the top, and the bees can build a lot of cross comb in that void.
What do you all use for bait traps?

[Hops Brewster]

Nothing fancy.  Just an old hive box and a migratory lid with some frames and a couple dabs of queen lure.  It works.

[.30WCF]

Have a few empty nucs and medium boxes setting around.


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[jtcmedic]

Double nuc, with a solid bottom, 5 frames in the top nuc. opening in the top nuc

[JurassicApiary]

Two years ago I made six 40L swarm traps that worked well.  Living in a rainforest, the environment has not been kind to the plywood and all have separation issues now, despite a good painting when they were built. 

This year, I've already caught 2 swarms in the last month using the 8-frame hives that I use in by bee yard.  Having read The Honeybee Democracy over the winter, I approached my setup a bit more methodically this year.  I put in only 4 frames the 8-frame body: 2 drawn out frames of comb and 2 frames with just foundation; I left the remaining space empty so the scouts feel like there's room for expansion.  A spritz of SC to the underside of the inner cover and another spritz at the entrance and that's it.  100% success so far this month (2 of 2).  Going to place another two out this week after all the rain subsides.

Aside from not having to make a special trap box like I did prior, I don't have to transfer them as they're moving themselves right into their permanent hive from the get-go--just relocate!  I place all of my traps at 3-4' from the ground--no concern for the bees it seems, and it's easy for me to check, service and move.

[FatherMichael]

Two hives and three nucs.

We are just now clear of winter weather, though it was 34*F this morning.

[BeeMaster2]

I use 5 and 6 frame Nuc boxes, 5 of them with one old frame and 4-5 empty frames and a double medium 10 frame box with only 9 empty frames, one old black drawn frame, the bottom medium is empty.