So I know a feral hive that throws a minimum of one huge swarm every year, sometimes up to 3 in total thru the summer.
most of the time, so this year I want to put up a few bait hives. My question concerns how much distance from the hive itself for the bait hive? What distance from the original hive gives the best results? Typically these bees go less than 50 yards when they swarm until they ball up.
These usually have such a large swarm I will be forced to use a full sized brood box or two mediums.
Back a couple of years ago, I had a colony to abscond, I had left the hive in place. A few weeks latter a new colony had moved in. So I think you could put a bait hive close and some a little farther away. You may want to vary the height some also.
Good luck
Joe D
I've read six hundred yards minimum, but then I've seen them move into equipment left in a fairly well populated bee yard. Soooo, in conclusion, bees don't read!
I'd make sure the fundamentals are met, right box size orintated to the sun downwind of the hive, access to water and 10' off the ground. And whole lotta luck LOL.
And add a few drops of lemon grass oil on top of the frames.
Jim
Interestingly I and another beek from our club were called out to recover a wild hive from a hollow fallen branch - not many bees left and only honey in the log. The land owner was a former beek from 30 years ago so knew a little. I told him about trapping bees using lemon grass. He rang me the next day and said a large swam had gathered at the bottom of the tree and he had a box and wanted tips on how to get them in the box. Next day he rang again and said they were in and were quite at home. He remembered what I said about lemon grass and not having any thought Chamomile tea is soothing and soaked a bag until it was well infused, put a couple of drops of honey on it and rubbed inside the lid and on the landing board. He said the bees flocked to the areas he had put it and formed clumps and appeared to be licking it off and going inside - anyway it appeared to work. Chamomile and honey .....the new lure?
I've read distances from one end to the other. Interesting enough.., I've had a swarm land on the side of an active hive - more than once.
Well okay, no confirmed distance. Yes folks, I know location, location, location, smell, smell, smell, etc., just looking for distance that seems to work the best. I am learning every Beek has a different idea about that.
I like the idea of giving them options. Put a trap within 50 yards of the colony. That would be my first option. A well-baited and right-sized trap closer, should lure them in.
If you can put the equipment together, I would also put another trap a few hundred yards away. Then maybe another trap a few hundred more yards away.
Thing is, if this colony has been putting off multiple swarms for years, there are probably several feral colonies within a few miles of the location. Why not saturate the area with traps???
(http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/16/02/11/b32c4ce448fcde40a6122f4cc39b7ef5.jpg) I read a study that suggested 600-900 yards being the best and didn't drop off to fast until closer to 1500 yards. I think they tracked 35 swarms.
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A chart, great information, thank you, and welcome to the forum
Interesting chart yotebuster1200. Welcome to the forum.
Cornell did a study and determined that distance didn't matter. Neither did the shape of the trap.
What they found worked best were used hives (because of the smell they retained), with an entrance facing south, in the shade, about 15' high.
Don't leave wax in it, that'll just attract wax moths. Just empty frames. A nail bent across the entrance will keep birds out.
Every spring I put hives I'm not using up on deer-hunting tree-stands. Occasionally it pays off.