How to get my Swarm Trap back?

crmauch · July 20, 2020, 08:25:53 PM

This will probably seem silly to more experienced beekeepers xssor swarm trappers. But after moving the swarm comb and bees to the new hive. There were a lot of bees around the trap. I'd assumed they were robbing out the small amount of leftover comb. And I believe that was part of it. However it's been over a week and there is a persistent cluster of bees just sitting in the box (20?). If I try to disturb them they become very defensive. Any suggestions on how to rid these holdouts and how to prevent this happening in the future?

Robo · July 20, 2020, 11:06:10 PM

When you bring the swarm. trap home plae it where the hive will be for a couple of days. Let the bees get oriented to the new location and then move the contents of the swarm trap into the hive and place it in the same spot. dump/bang any bees left in the trap in front of the hive.

Bob Wilson · July 20, 2020, 11:22:01 PM

I second Robo.
2 questions, crmauch.
How far away was your swarm trap to their present hive body location? The same yard?
And how long were they in the swarm box?

BeeMaster2 · July 20, 2020, 11:24:53 PM

Chris,
What Rob said plus when you transfer the hive, make the swarm trap disappear completely so that they cannot go back to it.
Jim Altmiller

Acebird · July 21, 2020, 09:38:23 AM

Quote from: sawdstmakr on July 20, 2020, 11:24:53 PM
make the swarm trap disappear completely so that they cannot go back to it.

What I said in another thread.

Nock · July 21, 2020, 11:45:45 AM

Learn from my mistake. Get rid of the box.

crmauch · July 21, 2020, 12:38:00 PM

Quote from: Robo on July 20, 2020, 11:06:10 PM
When you bring the swarm. trap home plae it where the hive will be for a couple of days. Let the bees get oriented to the new location and then move the contents of the swarm trap into the hive and place it in the same spot. dump/bang any bees left in the trap in front of the hive.

Did all this except...

Quote from: sawdstmakr on July 20, 2020, 11:24:53 PM
Chris,
What Rob said plus when you transfer the hive, make the swarm trap disappear completely so that they cannot go back to it.

I didn't do this. Left the swarm trap there (open) thinking I wanted the bees to clean/rob it out. So I think all but this few bees settled to the new hive. What's the best way to get rid of this remnant?

Quote from: Bob Wilson on July 20, 2020, 11:22:01 PM
2 questions, crmauch.
How far away was your swarm trap to their present hive body location? The same yard?
And how long were they in the swarm box?

I had moved the swarm box to the current location of the hive 2 weeks before. In total, I estimate the bees were in the swarm trap for a month.

crmauch · July 21, 2020, 12:40:22 PM

Well I should have removed the trap but didn't. How should I handle it now?

BeeMaster2 · July 21, 2020, 06:15:04 PM

Shake it out and put it in your garage. Put a tiny amount of lemon grass oil on the entrance to the new hive and they will move in.
Jim Altmiller

Acebird · July 21, 2020, 06:29:28 PM

Quote from: crmauch on July 21, 2020, 12:38:00 PM
Left the swarm trap there (open) thinking I wanted the bees to clean/rob it out. So I think all but this few bees settled to the new hive. What's the best way to get rid of this remnant?

I am wondering if there is still comb in the box. If there is scrape it out. The comb you could have left them to rob but not in the box. The bees you can dump them out, slam the box to the ground, smoke them out, blow them out, vac them out. How ever you want to do it.

crmauch · July 21, 2020, 08:41:29 PM

Quote from: Acebird link=topic=53878.msg487430#msg487430
I am wondering if there is still comb in the box. If there is scrape it out. The comb you could have left them to rob but not in the box. The bees you can dump them out, slam the box to the ground, smoke them out, blow them out, vac them out. How ever you want to do it.

Thanks!

crmauch · July 22, 2020, 05:02:14 PM

Rained last night. After rainstorm, went out dumped the trap, and except for one persistent bee got rid of them. Inside of trap is wetter than I'd like, but I think it will be O.K. Thanks for everyone's help.