Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: Keith13 on May 09, 2008, 04:33:10 PM

Title: swarm traps
Post by: Keith13 on May 09, 2008, 04:33:10 PM
Looks like they work after all. I left them out for about three weeks checked them today and what do you know. I have to lleave them in there probably until next week I do not have the time to remove them now. I hope they will be ok

(http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/5558/swarmtrap001wl8.th.jpg) (http://img227.imageshack.us/my.php?image=swarmtrap001wl8.jpg)
(http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/7546/swarmtrap002cu3.th.jpg) (http://img227.imageshack.us/my.php?image=swarmtrap002cu3.jpg)
(http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/9615/swarmtrap004nm4.th.jpg) (http://img227.imageshack.us/my.php?image=swarmtrap004nm4.jpg)
(http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/8012/swarmtrap005qq3.th.jpg) (http://img227.imageshack.us/my.php?image=swarmtrap005qq3.jpg)


Title: Re: swarm traps
Post by: Moonshae on May 09, 2008, 10:22:22 PM
I bought a few and haven't gotten them up yet. I don't have a place to put more bees if I get them, so I might wait until next year.
Title: Re: swarm traps
Post by: Keith13 on May 10, 2008, 08:02:04 AM
that is sort of the predicament i am in right now. waiting on hive bodies, I didn't think the traps would work so fast
Title: Re: swarm traps
Post by: CBEE on May 10, 2008, 08:49:04 AM
Nothing better than free bees  :-D
If they picked your trap to make a home in they are fat and happy there so order or build what you need and hive them when you can.
Title: Re: swarm traps
Post by: JP on May 10, 2008, 12:12:38 PM
Quote from: keith13 on May 10, 2008, 08:02:04 AM
that is sort of the predicament i am in right now. waiting on hive bodies, I didn't think the traps would work so fast

Yup, try not to wait too long, but then again, the main objective is that you got yourself some more bees.

Here's what can happen if you wait too long: (http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/1258/cimg0048mn0.th.jpg) (http://img230.imageshack.us/my.php?image=cimg0048mn0.jpg)



...JP
Title: Re: swarm traps
Post by: CBEE on May 10, 2008, 01:54:53 PM
JP
Now thats an interesting pic.
What is the smallest thing you have seen a swarm move into ?
Title: Re: swarm traps
Post by: JP on May 10, 2008, 04:34:53 PM
There was this little colony living amongst the roots of this hanging plant, smallest colony I've ever seen.

(http://img229.imageshack.us/img229/3848/beepics041eb9.th.jpg) (http://img229.imageshack.us/my.php?image=beepics041eb9.jpg)

(http://img229.imageshack.us/img229/1953/beepics040sz7.th.jpg) (http://img229.imageshack.us/my.php?image=beepics040sz7.jpg)

They would leave the plant and go to the bird bath to have a drink.
(http://img229.imageshack.us/img229/9607/beepics045yh0.th.jpg) (http://img229.imageshack.us/my.php?image=beepics045yh0.jpg)

Other than the plant, usually very small colonies will swarm (after swarms) and enter things like water meter housings such as the one I posted about yesterday.


...JP

Title: Re: swarm traps
Post by: CBEE on May 11, 2008, 06:45:31 PM
Now that is crazy. You would think there would be no room at all. Must have been pretty desparate for a place to go
Title: Re: swarm traps
Post by: Wes Sapp on May 11, 2008, 07:02:50 PM
I noticed the traps were in a deer stand. I placed a hive body on a 16' tripod stand and had a swarm take to it in a couple of days.
Title: Re: swarm traps
Post by: Grant11 on May 11, 2008, 08:59:07 PM
When setting up your trap the Queen scent do you leave it in the paper  packet?
Title: Re: swarm traps
Post by: Keith13 on May 12, 2008, 05:31:48 PM
no mine were in plastic tubes i took two small nails and stuck them in the top of the trap lid sort of in an X then i wedged the plastic tube between the nails it seemed to hold it pretty tight
Title: Re: swarm traps
Post by: Keith13 on May 12, 2008, 05:33:35 PM
Quote from: Wes Sapp on May 11, 2008, 07:02:50 PM
I noticed the traps were in a deer stand. I placed a hive body on a 16' tripod stand and had a swarm take to it in a couple of days.

yes it was my brother in laws stand. when i told him about it he said to take them down till i reminded him his stand was on my land. it changed his tune pretty quick