Hello, I have one hive and am waiting for two packages this spring. Hoping that my swarm from last year makes it through this winter. So far it looks good. I checked last month and it was clustered in the top box. Looked like about six frames of capped honey left in the top box. I also added five pounds of sugar set on a screen on the top of the second deep. I made a two inch spacer above the top deep to accomodate the sugar.
I am probably getting a little carried away cause I think three hives will produce more honey than I know what to do with but I realy want to try and get a couple swarms from either feral bee's or just some that don't have a home yet. I don't have any idea where my swarm came from last year. Just showed up one day in my plum tree? Anyway,,,, I am thinking about making four swarm traps out of scrap wood. I am planning on making them the same size as a deep. I then plan on taking all ten frames from the bottom deep of the current hive I have and replacing them with new frames. I will be able to put two frames in each of the four swarm traps that I make. I will either order the swarm trap phermone from Dadent or try and find some lemon grass oil around town somewhere? I plan on setting three of the swarm traps on the edge of the woods around my home. They will be about a half mile apart from each other and the fourth I will set near my plumb tree. I will set them all up about six feet in the air? Shoot I may end up with seven hives this year!!!! What would I do with all that! That is a lot of honey to put on my cereal and toast! I really love honey.
Well, Do I seem to be on the right track as far as the traps and bait and stuff? Do I need more frames in the traps?? Right height? And why is this addictive?
i would be far easier to just use a deep with some comb in it. use hive staples to attach your top and bottom. all you have to do is retrieve your box and add frames if you didn't put 10 in.
If you use 2 frames in a 10 frame box, they will hang comb from the lid. They will NOT use the frames. Cleanup will be great fun, and a waste of good comb. Always fill the box with frames.
While I haven't looked, would a five deep frame nuc make an adequate swarm trap?
If checked weekly, yes.
If checked monthly, no.
Ok I will use a ten frame box, It will be a while before the two packages I start need another deep so I have enough boxes right now for a few and I will pick up enough or make them so as to have enough boxes for five full hives with two deeps each. That will give me four deeps to use a swarm traps least till I catch one. Now I have planned to let the bees try foundationless. So should I still put two old drawn out frames in the trap along with eight with starter strips? I don't even need a license or a a guide or a gun to trap bee's. This is going to be cool.
i have dumped swarms on starter strips and empty frames. sometimes you get a little wonky comb, but most times they do great. swarms and packages want to build comb. if you have at least one drawn comb it will get the queen started faster. if not, at least one sheet of foundation will help get them going straight.
Here's all I know on Swarm Traps and Bait Hives...
Two short 6 minute videos on post swarm biology, building and placement of traps.
Advanced Beekeeping - How to build a Bait Hive / Swarm Trap | EasyBeekeeping (http://blip.tv/file/3118164#id3137780)
Beekeeping 101 - Swarm Traps and Bait Hives | EasyBeekeeping (http://blip.tv/file/3103682#id3123299)
Quote from: Grandma_DOG on February 28, 2010, 07:40:05 PM
Here's all I know on Swarm Traps and Bait Hives...
Two short 6 minute videos on post swarm biology, building and placement of traps.
Advanced Beekeeping - How to build a Bait Hive / Swarm Trap | EasyBeekeeping (http://blip.tv/file/3118164#id3137780)
Beekeeping 101 - Swarm Traps and Bait Hives | EasyBeekeeping (http://blip.tv/file/3103682#id3123299)
Is that you in those vids?
If so, you do a good job.
many ways work.
i have tried 4 medium frame volume traps made of plywood last year and caught swarms, but they weren't large swarms.
i watched a large swarm land and enter one only to watch it leave 10 minutes later.
larger volume traps will attract and hold a large swarm so make sure you have as large a trap as you can get / make and make sure it causes them to use the frames.
cutting comb out of a swarm trap sucks!
im trying one with 4 deep frames volume this year, will report on its success later this year.
good luck, swarm trapping is really fun, and free local bees!
bailey.
I am not sure and maybe someone can help me out with a timeline but I am installing two packages probably the middle of april. I will install them in one deep. How long will they stay in one deep before they need another? I didn't keep good records last year but I think the swarm I put in the deep was in there two months before I put another deep on?
If this is the case, I would expect swarms from the middle of may to the middle of June? I caught my swarm last year may 30th, If I am correct then I will have two full deep bodies that I can put ten frames in each to use as swarm traps and I will make two more of that size. Now for bait, I have not yet found any lemon grass oil? So will it be just as good to purchase four swarm lours from Dadent?
I plan on putting one drawn frame in each swarm trap and then nine frames with starter boards? Am I on the right track?
Quote from: harvey on March 01, 2010, 08:40:49 PM
I am not sure and maybe someone can help me out with a timeline but I am installing two packages probably the middle of april. I will install them in one deep. How long will they stay in one deep before they need another? I didn't keep good records last year but I think the swarm I put in the deep was in there two months before I put another deep on?
If this is the case, I would expect swarms from the middle of may to the middle of June? I caught my swarm last year may 30th, If I am correct then I will have two full deep bodies that I can put ten frames in each to use as swarm traps and I will make two more of that size. Now for bait, I have not yet found any lemon grass oil? So will it be just as good to purchase four swarm lours from Dadent?
I plan on putting one drawn frame in each swarm trap and then nine frames with starter boards? Am I on the right track?
The time frame for filling up the deep will vary. Just remember to keep the syrup feeder going and rule of thumb is to add a second box when 8 frames are built with comb.
Two months is a stretch for building in one box. That could be from several reasons. Was it a mated Queen ? Sometimes the packages can decline in numbers quickly from the bees being mostly older and the queen not being mated. If you do a search on eBay for lemongrass oil or essential oils, they are everywhere. One frame of comb and the frames with starters should work just fine.
you can get lemongrass oil on line. there are a couple of ebay stores that carry it for a good price.
swarms from established hives can come quite early. i usually start getting calls in early may but expect them to start in april this year. the best advice is that you be ready at any time.
if you intend to leave them in the box in which you catch them, or you will not check your swarm traps often, put all the frames in.
if you are using drawn comb from old hives, you don't need to be quite as concerned about swarm lure. the smell of the comb will usually be enough to get their attention.
Hard to believe that bee's can smell, Really hard to believe that they could smell a comb inside a box from very far away. These little creatures continue to amaze me all the time. I don't have an area for an observation hive but bet I could spend hours sitting in front of one.
Thanks for all your help and ideas. Wish me luck. I think I have picked four locations to try and catch swarms. It not sure what I am going to do if I catch more than two. That will give me five hives! maybe I could put one together and take to an old friend of mine that got me into bee keeping in the first place.
Quote from: harvey on March 01, 2010, 08:40:49 PM
Now for bait, I have not yet found any lemon grass oil? So will it be just as good to purchase four swarm lours from Dadent?
I've never used the Dadant swarm lure. I bought my lemongrass oil from a local "all natural" store. No freight costs and they also sell my pollen and honey in there. I bought it 4 years ago and still haven't used it all up. It's very strong smelling and couple drops goes a loooong way.
Harvey
Here is a few health food type stores in your area. I'm sure if you call at least one will carry lemon grass oil
ADale's Nu-Health Mart(810) 664-7751410 W Nepessing St, Lapeer, MI 48446Dist: 0.8 milesHealth, Diet, Vitamin Store, Specialty Food Store
CSeattle Sutton's Healthy Eating Lapeer(810) 664-3422822 West St, Lapeer, MI 48446Dist: 1.0 milesHealth, Diet, Vitamin Store
DPatches' Place(810) 667-3056759 East St, Lapeer, MI 48446Dist: 1.1 milesHealth, Diet, Vitamin Store, Personal Trainers
EB C Bartlett(810) 797-35003310 Baldwin Rd, Metamora, MI 48455Dist: 6.8 milesHealth, Diet, Vitamin Store
FCopeman Store the(810) 797-35003310 Baldwin Rd, Metamora, MI 48455Dist: 6.8 milesHealth, Diet, Vitamin Store
GNature's Better Way(810) 678-3131880 W Dryden Rd, Metamora, MI 48455Dist: 7.8 milesHealth, Diet, Vitamin Store
HGnc(810) 658-8874731 S State Rd, Davison, MI 48423Dist: 9.9 milesHealth, Diet, Vitamin Store
Thanks to all the posters. I'm not the OP but I'm following this thread with quite a bit of attention.
I hung my first swarm trap tonight right after I got off of work. Homemade 5 deep frame nuc that I had made up off of some suggestions from another thread. I have two more that I made up over the weekend that I will hang later in the week along with one possibly two 10 deep frame Langstroths that may spend some time in the pasture's woodline before finding service hive bodies. All of them will be baited with swarm lures.
Here's to good luck, and a successful season for all.