How to catch a swarm

[johnwm73]

I am waiting on my 2-5 frame nucs to be ready for pickup. But I am seeing bees around my house and I have never seen them before in the year I have lived there. I have a swarm lure I bought and was wondering how to use it to see if I can catch a swarm. Should I build a swarm box and put it on a pole or leave it close to the ground? Can I use a deep box and not build a swarm box? Should I put any empty frames in the box or leave it empty? Do I leave the liquid in the lure in the container and just open the lid or pour it into the swarm box? Any info would be greatly appreciated.

[MustbeeNuts]

HI, that is  funny, I am also waiting on my packages to arrive, and i noticed lots of bees around also, I made a sugar mix and set it on my hives, (empty) and hoped they would just move right in. LOL impatience is a terrible thing. LOL  They didn't!
However as a newbie, what I have read is that you can put a little lemongrass inside the hive, or trap, and that the optimum height is six feet. I really don't know if it works but the four books I have all seem to point to the raised trap and seem to agree that six feet is pretty good. some say higher but six wouldn't be too hard. I'm sure some of the expereinced keeps will know. Hope you don't mind the newbie input. Just thought it funny that you had the same idea I did, gone fishing for bees.

[JP]

The higher the better. If you had a frame of honey or a drawn out extracted frame, or a piece of comb to place in the box this would be good but you don't so I wouldn't put an empty frame in the box. Yep, a very small amount of lemongrass can be enticing. If you have a vial that you purcahsed, you don't open it. Good luck!!!


...JP