I moved a swarm I?d caught to a new location and box today. Wouldn?t you know that the dern bees instead of building comb on the frames in the box (which had starter strips btw) decided to build from the bottom of the frames. The swarm trap was built from plans I got from the internet and was deeper than a normal box. Needless to say I got my first lesson in using rubber bands to install comb in frames.
I had caught a swarm in this same type trap earlier and those girls had followed the rule book LOL. Nice orderly comb within the confines of the frames.
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Fewer bees this time?
Mr. Last, if there is one constant with honeybees that is they are not constant, always something new to learn. A lot of ideas work most of the time, nothing works all of the time. That is one reason, of many, I am drawn to honeybees as a moth to a flame. The bees keep me on my toes.
O4l,
Welcome to Beemaster.
Last,
The problem is that bees can?t read the bee books and they don?t know the rules. Hence they break the bee rules. You could start reading to them. 😁
Jim Altmiller
I just helped a friend with one of those deep swarm boxes, occupied by a swarm for 4 weeks.
We tranferred all six frames to a deep, and then cut enough comb off the bottom of each frame to rubberband into another four frames to make a complete deep hive. The comb hanging from the bottom of the frames down to the bottom of the box was EXACTLY the right depth to rubberband into a empty deep frame.
Just curious, Since ya'll are building these traps this size, why not simply use a double deep nuc box temporarily attached to one another? (two story) That way you would have this set up as use as both a swarm catcher and a useful, particle, readily available to go in service, hive. You could use starter strips if you are seeking the (open space) on the bottom box? Just food for thought.