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Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: teezbees on February 19, 2011, 07:52:00 PM

Title: Swarm Traps - When to Set Up?
Post by: teezbees on February 19, 2011, 07:52:00 PM
I've got 3 swarm traps (molded fiber type) that I'm putting out this year. I live in upstate South Carolina; about 2 1/2 hours from Atlanta and about 1 1/2 hours from Charlotte.

When is the right time to set them up? I don't want to nail them up in the tree too early, but I don't want to wait until it's too late either.

Thanks

Travis
Title: Re: Swarm Traps - When to Set Up?
Post by: AllenF on February 19, 2011, 08:29:38 PM
I like to have mine out by the 2nd week of March here in Georgia.
Title: Re: Swarm Traps - When to Set Up?
Post by: jmblakeney on February 19, 2011, 08:40:51 PM
I'm just over from you in Tennessee and was advised in a recent post for this area to put them out the first of April, generally the swarms start around the first of May.  I'm on my phone now so I can't post a link to that post.  I will later.  There was a lot of good info in there, including some info on the swarm lure.
Title: Re: Swarm Traps - When to Set Up?
Post by: teezbees on February 19, 2011, 08:46:21 PM
James,

Please do. I'd like to read that article.

Nice blog by the way.

Travis
Title: Re: Swarm Traps - When to Set Up?
Post by: jmblakeney on February 19, 2011, 09:01:48 PM
Here (http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php/topic,31485.msg256115.html#msg256115) ya go. 
Thanks for the comment, I appreciate it.  If you were at my blog you may have already seen this post.  A link to it was in the most recent one.  Either way you have it now.

Good luck,
James
Title: Re: Swarm Traps - When to Set Up?
Post by: hardwood on February 19, 2011, 09:26:22 PM
We're getting swarms already down here (FL). I haven't picked any up yet but noticed today in one of our yards that two hives have swarmed.

Scott
Title: Re: Swarm Traps - When to Set Up?
Post by: Grandma_DOG on February 20, 2011, 12:53:10 AM
Put your traps out 1 week before your earliest known swarm.  Here in Central Texas, thats about Feb 25.
Title: Re: Swarm Traps - When to Set Up?
Post by: Tommyt on February 20, 2011, 08:07:03 AM
Hardwood
Thanks for the heads up. Being new I would have bet they were already but I kept telling myself
I was just seeing more bees because I look more,and the bees are just active because of spring
That Box I spoke with you about I haven't moved yet, so I attached a 10 frame deep to the entrance
I then put a small comb with brood in it,The bees went to it like, bee crack, they had guard bees on it the very next day I took one between the eyes LOL
I'm hoping they think they swarmed,when I get them to the permanent yard If there is still good numbers,I'm going to try and make two hives. I really like this leaning curve hope the excitement lasts for ever.

Tommyt
Title: Re: Swarm Traps - When to Set Up?
Post by: Brian D. Bray on February 20, 2011, 08:24:47 PM
Feral bees will swarm earlier, and more often, than hobby or commercial hives.  If you want a crack at 1st feral swarms have your traps out by 1st of March.
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