I made some tall swarm boxes, several years ago, from the horizontalhives.com website. When I make more, I will probably make standard deep hive bodies with solid bottom boards and migratory lids.
These might be harder to hang, but they can house a new swarm for weeks. My present ones have a lot of empty space under the 6 deep frames held at the top, and the bees can build a lot of cross comb in that void.
What do you all use for bait traps?
Nothing fancy. Just an old hive box and a migratory lid with some frames and a couple dabs of queen lure. It works.
Have a few empty nucs and medium boxes setting around.
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Double nuc, with a solid bottom, 5 frames in the top nuc.[attachment=0][/attachment] opening in the top nuc
Two years ago I made six 40L swarm traps that worked well. Living in a rainforest, the environment has not been kind to the plywood and all have separation issues now, despite a good painting when they were built.
This year, I've already caught 2 swarms in the last month using the 8-frame hives that I use in by bee yard. Having read The Honeybee Democracy over the winter, I approached my setup a bit more methodically this year. I put in only 4 frames the 8-frame body: 2 drawn out frames of comb and 2 frames with just foundation; I left the remaining space empty so the scouts feel like there's room for expansion. A spritz of SC to the underside of the inner cover and another spritz at the entrance and that's it. 100% success so far this month (2 of 2). Going to place another two out this week after all the rain subsides.
Aside from not having to make a special trap box like I did prior, I don't have to transfer them as they're moving themselves right into their permanent hive from the get-go--just relocate! I place all of my traps at 3-4' from the ground--no concern for the bees it seems, and it's easy for me to check, service and move.
Two hives and three nucs.
We are just now clear of winter weather, though it was 34*F this morning.
I use 5 and 6 frame Nuc boxes, 5 of them with one old frame and 4-5 empty frames and a double medium 10 frame box with only 9 empty frames, one old black drawn frame, the bottom medium is empty.