Building a swarm trap???

RangerBrad · April 04, 2009, 03:12:27 AM

I was out in my yard today filling bird feeders and noticed honey bees working on the flowers in the yard. I assume they may be wild as I know of no beeks in this area and my first bees will not arrive until the 3rd week of this month. I was wondering if a fella could make a swarm trap by building a small plywood box with a removable top drilling a small entrance hole and applying some lemon grass oil to a cotton ball or something to hold the scent and placing it in the trap? How much should I cut the lemmon grass oil and how often should I relure with the oil? I was thinking that I could build one and just put it at the edge of the woods at my house and check it occasionally and if I caught a swarm just install them in a hive. Does this sound feasible? Thank's, Brad

Michael Bush · April 04, 2009, 03:41:42 AM

>I was wondering if a fella could make a swarm trap by building a small plywood box with a removable top drilling a small entrance hole and applying some lemon grass oil to a cotton ball or something to hold the scent and placing it in the trap?

Just put a few drops of the oil on the wood. No need for the cotton ball. Many of us do this all the time.

> How much should I cut the lemmon grass oil

Not at all. Just use a few drops.

> and how often should I relure with the oil?

Once will probably do for the swarm season, but if you want to renew it in about a month or two it wouldn't hurt.

> I was thinking that I could build one and just put it at the edge of the woods at my house and check it occasionally and if I caught a swarm just install them in a hive. Does this sound feasible?

Very.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesferal.htm#baithives

JP · April 04, 2009, 03:54:37 AM

Brad, as mentioned a few drops of lemon grass oil goes a long way. Another thing that works great, especially, or even more so, is a piece of old dark comb added to a trap.

Also of consideration is the volume size of the trap. The larger capacity you make it, the larger the swarm it will hold. Make it large enough to hold large swarms, swarms in the 4 plus pound range.

Large swarms always seem to build faster for me.

...JP

mick · April 04, 2009, 04:50:27 AM

I tried swarm lure oil once, Im sure they used to sell snake oil!

The only one I have attracted was drawn to an empty super with empty drawn frames in it. I reckon thats the best trap you can have.

slaphead · April 04, 2009, 10:34:13 AM

JP,

How large a trap do you need to capture 4 lb+ swarms? Are 5 frame Nuc boxes large enough or is an 8 (or 10) frame hive body a better choice?

Thanks,

SH

JP · April 04, 2009, 11:10:56 AM

You can stuff a lot of bees in a deep 5 frame nuc, but I like something even a tad bit larger.

...JP

slaphead · April 04, 2009, 08:39:35 PM

Thanks JP.

We're having our first warm weekend of the spring and I've seen a few bees nosing around the Nuc I setup with some old comb and lemon oil. I doubt we'll see any swarming here (NE of Seattle) until late April this year but what do I know? 8-). From what you've said I think I'll bait an 8-frame hive body tomorrow and leave it at another spot in the valley (some land I lease). There have to be 30 hives in a 2 mile radius down there including at least one feral colony I'm leaving in peace. Roll on swarm season.

SH

JP · April 04, 2009, 08:56:09 PM

A friend of mine uses 5 gallon buckets as swarm traps with an old piece of comb in them.

If there are 30 plus hives in an area and they are not being properly managed, you may want to put out several traps.

...JP

1reb · April 24, 2009, 09:25:45 PM

I going to build me more trap still trying to find some honey comb to bait my trap

Johnny

sparks · April 24, 2009, 10:04:23 PM

JP,

What do you do with a swarm of AHB other than requeen? Do you just put up with them for a month or so waiting for them to calm down with a new queen? Inquireing minds in the South want to know.

Chuck

WOB419 · April 25, 2009, 05:31:39 PM

I got lazy last year and caught a swarm without trying. One of the two hives in my backyard starved out over winter and I left the boxes in place. There were 2 eight frame brood boxes with drawn comb. I just left them there and tended to the other hive which was doing well. 4 or 5 weeks later I noticed quite a bit of activity around the "dead hive" and investigated. Turns out a swarm set-up shop and gave me a box of honey before the summer was over (thanks girls).

This year I am trying it again, the only difference is that I am using one brood box with 3 frames of drawn comb and 5 frames of foundation. I also have a super on top of that with 4 frames of capped honey (but I cut some open to release the smell) and 4 frames of drawn comb. We will see what happens.

I have not added lemon grass oil but will do so if I can find some. How do you think Honey-B-Healthy would work as a lure instead of lemon grass oil? It smells awful lemony to me...Any thoughts?

Also, does anyone think that I am risking an infestation of wax moths by leaving the drawn comb and honey out there like this without bees in it? I will be in the boxes tomorrow to check but would appreciate your thoughts.

Paraplegic Racehorse · April 27, 2009, 01:23:45 PM

Quote from: sparks on April 24, 2009, 10:04:23 PM
What do you do with a swarm of AHB other than requeen? Do you just put up with them for a month or so waiting for them to calm down with a new queen? Inquireing minds in the South want to know.

From what I gather reading about beekeepers in South America and Africa ... Just make sure the bee-space a little tighter than your EHBs and they'll calm right down. See http://www.beekeeping.com/articles/us/adansonian_hive.htm for more. Perhaps some of our members in Africa and South America can provide more and better info.

Quote from: WOB419 on April 25, 2009, 05:31:39 PM
Also, does anyone think that I am risking an infestation of wax moths by leaving the drawn comb and honey out there like this without bees in it?

Of course you are. But how much do you really care so long as you "land" a swarm? If you're worried about wax moth, remove and extract (or give to another hive) the frames of capped honey.

charles · April 27, 2009, 01:54:27 PM

Where do you get lemon grass oil?

jdpro5010 · April 27, 2009, 02:16:41 PM

Your local health food store will more than likely carry the essential oils you need.

Hethen57 · April 27, 2009, 02:50:56 PM

Do swarm traps also tend to attract wasps, hornets and ants? Those seem to be common pests around here looking for a home in anything hollow or sweet smelling during the Spring. If so, is there anything you do to try to prevent them from setting up house in your traps?
-Mike

RangerBrad · April 27, 2009, 05:46:41 PM

Well, I put out a trap with a frame of old comb I picked up the day after the first post and as of yet have no bees visiting it. I think they are through swarming for now. Maybe later this fall I'll get some to try it. Brad