swarm trap ?

[Kathyp]

i had a couple of boxes around from lost causes.  one i set, without much thought, next to a raspberry patch.  there is a huge amount of bee activity there now.  many of the bees are obviously not mine. 

?:  when placing an empty in hopes of luring a swarm, is it better to have it near an active bee area, or farther away? 

[Understudy]

If you know where the hives are i would say stay about 100 yards away. If you don't know where the hives are but you see lots of bees. You can throw a swarm trap up. You don't lose anything by trying.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

[Kathyp]

actually, i do think i know where they are.  they are about 1/2 mile away in someone else's bee yard  :-).  i just wondered if a swarm was more apt to move into an active area like the middle of a raspberry patch, or farther away.

[Understudy]

actually, i do think i know where they are.  they are about 1/2 mile away in someone else's bee yard  :-).  i just wondered if a swarm was more apt to move into an active area like the middle of a raspberry patch, or farther away.

Swarming is the natural spread of bees. Yoyu could argue either way that the spread is away, however you can see Robo caught a swarm in an empty hive. My guess is this. If you make the trap seem attractive they will move to it. I would try about above the raspberries.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

[Robo]

I would have said to keep it away from your current hives,  but after yesterday I think it is just a crap shoot.   The swarm I got yesterday landed in a super sitting right next to the only beehive in my area for many miles.  Go figure.   The part that I find even more interesting is that they chose to hang in a empty super laid on its side and partially exposed instead of the empty hive with drawn comb and some honey right next to it or a vacant TBH with comg and honey right behind it.    Perhaps they where just preparing to move into one of them and I just found them too early.

In hind sight, I have seen a lot of activity around the empty hive the last week, but just assumed it the active hive next to it robbing out the honey.

[Mici]

HA! i'm seeing tons of activity around my two bait hives, i sure hope a swarm will move in! they seem to really like the smell of lemon grass since most of the bees are trying to get in at the back, hehe

i wonder if i could bee-line the swarm scouts...surelly would raise my chances in getting that swarm...

[Kathyp]

well, i have one box near my hives and one a couple 100 ft away near the berries.  we'll see what happens.  it was robo's luck that made me think about the placement of boxes.  i  thought you had better luck away from your hives, but now i'll leave that box.

[papabear]

My main hive is from my stored boxes in a barn. In the fall they moved in and now I have made 2 splits off of the swarm. At my house I put a box out and put drops of lemon-grass oil on the tops of some frames. Within 2 weeks I had a swarm move in. Very small swarm so I combined them with a swarm I caught 3 weeks ago. They are all doing good. (Thank GOD)

[DayValleyDahlias]

So let me see if I have this correct...a swarm trap can consist of just a hive body with ..? frames and foundation.  I do not have any drawn out stuff...only new frames with wax coated plastic...

Should fill the hive body with the frames and soak a guaze with lemongrass oil?

Curious...Sounds like fun, if a swarm does come...I did have a swarm on my land once long ago, and got to help the beek remove it!

[Michael Bush]

>So let me see if I have this correct...a swarm trap can consist of just a hive body with ..?

Sure.

> frames and foundation.

If you like.

>  I do not have any drawn out stuff...only new frames with wax coated plastic...

Old comb works better, but if you use some lemongrass oil it won't matter much.

>Should fill the hive body with the frames and soak a guaze with lemongrass oil?

Soak a gauze?  No, I'd just put four drops of it on one of the top bars.


Curious...Sounds like fun, if a swarm does come...I did have a swarm on my land once long ago, and got to help the beek remove it!

[Cindi]

My intention this year is to set up a couple of swarm boxes around my property.  It will be enticing to them I hope.  I have drawn comb left over (lots) from last year, and will use the lemongrass oil that I purchased.  It cost me about $2.00 for a little vile that should last years and years.  I am going to have some posts pounded in the ground and a landing attached to it so that the hive body can sit on the landing and can easily be removed.  Of course, my husband is my builder, he loves to do that stuff, so it is fun, elaborate, but fun stuff.  Have a wonderful day, great life, and great health to boot!!!   Cindi

[KONASDAD]

I set out two myself, only w/o drawns comb. Keeping fingers crossed.