Holy Smoke Big Ole Swarm Trap

DayValleyDahlias · February 26, 2008, 11:14:06 PM

The swarm trap arrived today from MannLake...criminy sakes that this is big...Now what do I do?

It has that back piece, then that round piece that fits over the back...I have no idea what to do with this thing... :shock:

mgates61 · February 27, 2008, 12:30:46 AM

Plant flowers in it and the bees will come....lol

J/K.

I will be getting some swarm traps later in the year, but as of now I have never seen one.

Really big huh ???

Mike

DayValleyDahlias · February 27, 2008, 12:45:28 AM

Mike, this thing is a big ole brown paper pulpy container...looks a lot like a pressed peat moss or paper planter! I have the lure too...not quite sure how to place the lure in there. I'll give it a go though! Yay...

mgates61 · February 27, 2008, 12:59:14 AM

well.....good luck to ya. I looked at MannLake to see it. Guess there were no instructions.

Mike

Angi_H · February 27, 2008, 02:18:54 AM

Tape the lure in there with the lid to the lure open. And hang in the tree with the hole facing the ground.

Angi

JP · February 27, 2008, 02:30:34 AM

I push the vial from the inside through one of the eyelets. You could propolize it in place or tape it.

....JP

mudlakee · February 27, 2008, 07:29:23 AM

Great Pictures!! Tony

Michael Bush · February 27, 2008, 08:23:36 AM

Put in swarm lure. Hang it in a tree.

DayValleyDahlias · February 27, 2008, 11:04:00 AM

Okay very good, wow those area mazing photos, I was wondering what those little brass eyelets were for. I'll give it a go. Hope I do not lure my own bees...eeeeeeekkkkkkkk, hahaha...

Hugs

Cindi · February 29, 2008, 10:55:33 AM

Sharon, ha, this was funnnnneee. When you began to describe the swarm trap, it sounded like the one that JP put pics in a thread about. I thought he would chime in, and yep, surely as the day is gonna come tomorrow, he did, with pictures as an added bonus.

Don't ya just love it? This forum is the best place for learning anything you want about the bees and how to manage them, yeah, yeah, yea!!! Beautiful day and a great life to go along with that wish. Cindi

DayValleyDahlias · February 29, 2008, 11:21:17 AM

Yes, I am in love with this forum!
:lol:

bassman1977 · February 29, 2008, 01:48:56 PM

You guys ever catch anything with that swarm trap that maybe you didn't intend to catch? Wasps, hornets, etc.....

annette · March 11, 2008, 04:50:13 PM

Quote from: bassman1977 on February 29, 2008, 01:48:56 PM
You guys ever catch anything with that swarm trap that maybe you didn't intend to catch? Wasps, hornets, etc.....

Good question.

Annette

Michael Bush · March 11, 2008, 09:34:31 PM

>You guys ever catch anything with that swarm trap that maybe you didn't intend to catch? Wasps, hornets, etc.....

Paper wasps and finches mostly. I started using 1/4" hardware cloth on the entrances to keep out the finches. Occasionally a mud dauber.

johnnybigfish · March 11, 2008, 11:02:58 PM

Hey JP!
That was a cooool picture of the trap up in the tree. I've seen these traps in the books and they're pretty inexpensive it seems to me.
I'm a little confused at what i'm looking at in your pic. tho....Arent the bees supposed to go into the trap(theres a little hole at the bottom, right?) and build comb inside? Or is this the way the bees get caught, I mean, ....well, I dont really know what I mean......What i see is the bees are outside of the trap hanging on the bottom. Is this a normal way to catch the bees?
I was thinking that the bees go inside, then you plug the hole,then you take them home, then you dump 'em into a hive box.

well, thats all.
your friend,
john

JP · March 11, 2008, 11:18:40 PM

Quote from: johnnybigfish on March 11, 2008, 11:02:58 PM
Hey JP!
That was a cooool picture of the trap up in the tree. I've seen these traps in the books and they're pretty inexpensive it seems to me.
I'm a little confused at what i'm looking at in your pic. tho....Arent the bees supposed to go into the trap(theres a little hole at the bottom, right?) and build comb inside? Or is this the way the bees get caught, I mean, ....well, I dont really know what I mean......What i see is the bees are outside of the trap hanging on the bottom. Is this a normal way to catch the bees?
I was thinking that the bees go inside, then you plug the hole,then you take them home, then you dump 'em into a hive box.

John, the bees usually go inside and start building but there are some that like to build on the outside. I just let the bees have fun with this trap and enjoyed watching them build. I'll post another pic later of that same hive in a more advanced state, right before the string popped! Btw, that happened on Mother's day! I had to do a transfer and wound up being an hour and a half late for family. Had to explain myself. Oh well, see ya.

...JP

Michael Bush · March 11, 2008, 11:23:49 PM

>What i see is the bees are outside of the trap hanging on the bottom. Is this a normal way to catch the bees?

I'm not sure there is a "normal" way to catch bees.

>I was thinking that the bees go inside, then you plug the hole,then you take them home, then you dump 'em into a hive box.

Usually a bait hive they move in build comb and you find out they are there a few weeks later. In which case, if there are frames in the bait hive, you take them out and put them in a hive. If not, you do a "cut out" and cut out the brood comb and tie it into frames and put that in the hive.

johnnybigfish · March 11, 2008, 11:54:52 PM

Well, guys!
It was my day to learn new things!
Now,......I'm gonna run out and get one of these bee traps! I'll find someplace I can get one of these in the air! ;)
your friend,
john