Welcome, Guest

Author Topic: Placing swarm traps  (Read 1103 times)

Offline cheomar23

  • New Bee
  • *
  • Posts: 9
  • Gender: Male
    • Bee World
Placing swarm traps
« on: May 06, 2021, 06:10:42 am »
Capturing swarms is a useful activity that makes it easy to get new colonies. Don't think this is a specialist's business. However, there are rules that must be respected for the operation to be successful.

What material to use?

The Beehive
For the trapping to be successful, I advise you to use old equipment. A beehive that has been used for at least one season is preferable. This hive has a smell that will attract bees. Above all, do not remove the propolis that will bring in the bees.
To revive the smells, it is recommended to pass the walls of the hive with a torch so that the odors are strong.
If you don't have any used beehives, get some propolis and rub it on the inside walls of the hive. Some use swarm attractiveness.

Hive capacity
A 5 or 6 frame hive is sufficient, but you can also use a ten frame beehive.

When to place trap hives?

The ideal is to place the traps a little before the swarming period. Depending on your region you can start in March. At home, the swarms start in April or even at the end of March, so the trap hives will be placed for mid-March at the latest.
It is better to place the hives too early than too late.

How to proceed?

Very black frames

Do not place your trap empty. The ideal is to put two old black frames in the hive. Do not put more than two to avoid having infestations by the wax moth. Also avoid using frames that contain honey as it attracts ants.

Frames with beeswax sheet
Between your two black frames placed on the edges, place the frames already equipped with 1 inch beeswax sheets. The purpose of these frames is to avoid the anarchic constructions that the bees could make.

Swarms attractant
Certain smells will favor the visit of the Girl Scouts. It is advisable to rub the inside of the hive-trap with a mixture of wax and propolis.

Where to place the trap hives?
In nature

The ideal is to place traps in places where you have already collected swarms. Often these places will give swarms in the following years.
Avoid placing trap hives near a beekeeper's apiary. He wouldn't be happy with your practice. Put yourself in his place.
Choose quiet places, not close to high traffic areas for the safety of passers-by. Also avoid places that are too visible because you risk seeing your hives disappear.
Place your trap hives at a height of one meter to two meters on a solid and fixed support, sheltered from the wind and the curious. Choose an exposure to the south or the east.

Near your apiary
Do not place your trap hives too close to the apiary. The best is between 50 and two hundred meters from the apiary. Less if you place the trap behind a hedge.

Visits

Once your equipment is in place, it is best to visit it regularly, every two or three days. See if there are any visits. Do not intervene too quickly because the first visits are the work of scout bees which come well before the swarming. Above all, do not disturb them. This is the reason why trap hives must be placed before the start of swarming.
Wait until there is a characteristic back and forth to be sure the hive is inhabited by a colony. A sign that does not deceive is the collect of pollen.

Source: Beekeeping World
« Last Edit: May 06, 2021, 07:37:22 am by sawdstmakr »
Beekeeper and Blogger
https://www.beekeeping.world/

Offline BeeMaster2

  • Administrator
  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 13494
  • Gender: Male
Re: Placing swarm traps
« Reply #1 on: May 06, 2021, 07:36:32 am »
Good post Cheomar,
I agree with most of this but instead of placing foundation, I recommend using empty frames with a wood strip inserted in the top slot and paint it with fresh melted wax.
The fresh melted wax real attracts the scouts.
I also recommend wiping the entrance with lemon grass oil. This is the same smell the bees mark the entrance to a new site with when they find a good location.
To keep keep the lemon grass oil working for a week or two, take a Q-tip, saturate the tips in lemon grass oil, put them in a small baggie and seal it up. Works real well.  Do not put too much lemon grass oil in the trap. If it is too strong they will move back out.
If you get the chance to collect dead queens, put them in a small eye dropper bottle and fill it with alcohol. Wipe the entrance with a drop uf the alcohol. It really draws in the bees.
Jim Altmiller
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Offline StefanBohm

  • New Bee
  • *
  • Posts: 8
Re: Placing swarm traps
« Reply #2 on: May 06, 2021, 08:39:35 am »
Interesting. I only have my own backyard so can?t place it away too far from my hives. So far I caught 3 swarms in 6 or 7 years. When I used foundation or comb I caught wax moths. I do as Jim says. I agree that used equipment is the way to go.

I also learnt not to over think swarm traps. Bees have a knack for settling in the most inconvenient places.
« Last Edit: May 06, 2021, 09:18:16 am by StefanBohm »

Offline iddee

  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 10853
  • Gender: Male
Re: Placing swarm traps
« Reply #3 on: May 06, 2021, 08:43:33 am »
Yes, place empty frames or just the top bars with some sort of starter strip. Otherwise, you are going to be doing a cutout, as they will hang comb from the lid before using the 2 frames. Retrieving a swarm with 8 combs hanging from the lid and 2 untouched frames is no fun at all.
"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me . . . Anything can happen, child. Anything can be"

*Shel Silverstein*

 

anything