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Author Topic: Looking for Brood Comb  (Read 6817 times)

Offline crmauch

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Looking for Brood Comb
« on: April 28, 2017, 06:18:42 pm »
I am attempting to swarm trap, and in my research I have discovered that old brood comb increases your chance of success. I wish to purchase decent* brood comb from a cutout or removed from a frame (my plan is to cut the brood comb into approximate 2?X 2? pieces so I do not need the frame).

 I look forward to your responses, please contact me via PM and thank you.

 *Decent ? I?m not an expert here, but I plan to first freeze any comb I would get, which I believe would take care of any wax moths (as long as the comb isn?t completely webbed). But if the hive died because of disease (particularly AFB) or is slimed by small hive beetle, I would not consider that ?decent?.
Chris

Offline KeyLargoBees

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Re: Looking for Brood Comb
« Reply #1 on: May 25, 2017, 09:50:51 am »
swarm commander > brood comb

And no worry of wax moths chewing it up if the trap is up for awhile.
Jeff Wingate

Changes in Latitudes...Changes in Attitudes....are Florida Keys bees more laid back than the rest of the country...only time will tell!!!
piratehatapiary@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/piratehatapiary

Offline tycrnp

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Re: Looking for Brood Comb
« Reply #2 on: May 25, 2017, 10:40:50 am »
I am new to this, but have been successful at catching 2 swarms this year. I just put a few drops of lemongrass oil on the inner wall an a couple of small (2" x 2") pieces  of old comb between a couple of frames.  Good luck!

Offline crmauch

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Re: Looking for Brood Comb
« Reply #3 on: May 30, 2017, 06:11:05 pm »
Thanks for the advice.

I may try Swarm Commander next year.

Did not put as much effort in trapping this year as last year, but I have not even seen any activity around any of my traps (LGO) with beeswax on inside of trap.

But I've rarely seen any honeybees in my area, particularly this year.

If next year is a bust, I'll be giving up on getting bees as buying packages is not an option.
Chris

Offline scottie52

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Re: Looking for Brood Comb
« Reply #4 on: June 01, 2017, 11:25:37 pm »
I used both Lemongrass oil and Swarm Commander. Have caught three swarms this year. I set five traps. Two of the swarm were only about 30 yards apart from each other. Oh and I used frames with no comb on them.

Offline crmauch

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Re: Looking for Brood Comb
« Reply #5 on: June 02, 2017, 11:32:51 am »
I used both Lemongrass oil and Swarm Commander. Have caught three swarms this year. I set five traps. Two of the swarm were only about 30 yards apart from each other. Oh and I used frames with no comb on them.

Are you using both in the same trap or different lure scents in different traps?  And where are you located?  It seems from what I've seen on forums that swarm trapping isn't very successful in eastern Pennsylvania.

Need to find other locations, but the ones I've chosen 'seem' to follow the 'rules'  (along a forest boundary (the open land is a pipeline cut through); a lone tree; at the end of a small tree line)

I'm disturbed in that I rarely see honeybees anymore.
Chris

Offline scottie52

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Re: Looking for Brood Comb
« Reply #6 on: July 02, 2017, 06:44:54 pm »
Im using both in each trap. 6 swarms so far. You don't need brood comb I just use the plastic foundation.

Offline little john

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Re: Looking for Brood Comb
« Reply #7 on: August 08, 2017, 09:20:57 am »
Coming in very late on this one ...

Old brood comb is attractive to bees, not because it's brood comb per se, but  rather because it's old, well-used beeswax - i.e. it stinks of propolis and 'bee' in general.  So - slumgum will work just as well as an old brood comb, and most people will give you a bucketful gratis - so no need to buy it.

Wax moth will still lay on this stuff, but it's a lot more difficult for their larvae to live in it, not having the same 'passageways' that comb has.  But anyway - slumgum is at best considered 100% disposable.  Makes for good chicken feed.
LJ
A Heretics Guide to Beekeeping - http://heretics-guide.atwebpages.com

 

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