With Spring in The Air (NOT) what are you Building for Swarm Traps

[Tommyt]

Due to another Post mentioning a New swam Trap ,(Got Me Thinking ? :shock:)
I'd like to know If ?and what ? you all are making,
When you put them up ?
Where you Put hem at ?
Do you Put Lure in them (such as Lemon Grass oil)

Picture are very Welcome

Thanks
Tommyt

[VolunteerK9]

I make 5 frame medium nucs with migratory tops on them and bait them with lemongrass oil with a frame of drawn comb. I hung them up in a tree just as high as I could reach as I'm not going to drag a ladder in the woods every time to go check them. I put mine up in April last year but didnt catch my first swarm til late May. April is way too early I spose where I live.

[tandemrx]

It is going to be my first attempt at swarm traps this upcoming season.

I hope to deploy about traps.  2 at the last where I keep my bees on the edge of the woods that are part of the 10 acre plot of land where I have 6 hives (not sure how many will make it through winter).

2 other traps I will deploy on friends land - also on the edge of wooded area.

I am going to make something around the size of an 8-frame nuc box with left-over plywood as per the "lazy beekeeper method" How to build a Bait Hive / Swarm Trap and get Free Bees

I will use a nasanov pheromone lure (a couple I got from dadant and some I got through monarch watch-University of Kansas).  I was impressed at how well the dadant lure worked to attract bees when I had a swarm this past fall.  I will include some old drawn frames I have from hive combines.

We shall see what if any results I get.  good luck and interested in the topic

[fish_stix]

Build some of DCoates quickie 5 frame nucs. Place them near the yards of hobby and commercial beekeepers in your area; most don't try to capture swarms. Use the commercial swarm lures. Use foundationless frames with a guide bar and rub wax on the point of the guide bar. Put one in your backyard about 6' up in a tree. I caught 9 swarms last year in a single trap in my backyard; no known beeyards nearby; my own yards are 10+ miles away. BTW, use normal frames so they can be easily moved into a hive box. Don't use the useless paper mache traps sold by the bee suppliers; when they get rained on they're history; if you leave a swarm in them a couple days it becomes a cutout operation to get them out. Check your traps daily and when you get a swarm move them to a new location several miles away; it disorients them and they are less likely to leave again. The majority of swarms happen in spring; have your traps set up by the citrus flow in early March.

[D Coates]

Same here except I except I use foundation, my middle frame is drawn out and has BT sprayed on it to avoid wax moths.  Through the year I try to get any nucs that are newly made and haven't had bees in them occupied for at least a month or so to simply get the bee hive "smells" in there.  I've found the smells of drawn comb and propolis to be much more effective at bringing in swarms than lemongrass alone. 

I've never used the nazanov so I can't say anything about it.  I only check the traps/nucs every couple of weeks.  I don't know if this has cost me any swarms but my traps are spread out enough that it doesn't make sense to do so otherwise.  I'll be making more of those nuc boxes over Christmas break.

[Tommyt]

Same here except I except I use foundation, my middle frame is drawn out and has BT sprayed on it to avoid wax moths. 

What it BT,  I'm still new to bee talk :roll:

Your Plans are Great thanks for making them available


Tommyt

[VolunteerK9]

I forget the actual term that BT stands for but the name brand is Certan. Its here in the forum somewhere.

[hardwood]

Bacillus thurengiensis

[VolunteerK9]

Bacillus thurengiensis

Thats it. Right on the tip of my tongue.  :-P

[Acebird]

When you transfer the frames from the trap to the hive is there much of a risk that the queen just flies off or gets left behind.  I am not sure I could detect the queen  with all the other bees around if she was not marked like the commercial ones are.

[D Coates]

Not if she's laying.  Once I realize I've got a swarm in my swarm trap I do leave them alone for a week or two to ensure she's laying.  That's why I put 4 undrawn frames in there.  That'll keep them busy and the queen will get fat and much less prone to fly.  Normally she'll be in the middle 3 frames, be gentle and you'll be fine.

[Tommyt]

Not if she's laying.  Once I realize I've got a swarm in my swarm trap I do leave them alone for a week or two to ensure she's laying.  That's why I put 4 undrawn frames in there.  That'll keep them busy and the queen will get fat and much less prone to fly.  Normally she'll be in the middle 3 frames, be gentle and you'll be fine.

I know I misunderstand more than most,So are you saying, If you catch a swarm you Leave the Trap where you have it hung,for a couple of weeks or you bring it too your Bee Yard wait a few weeks then Transfer the Swarm to a Permanent Hive box.


Thanks
Tommyt

[D Coates]

That's what I personally do.  But others invariably do otherwise.  It's all on how you want to do it though.

[Acebird]

That's what I personally do.

What's that it was an either or question? :?

[D Coates]

Catch it and leave it alone.  Don't move it until she's laying.

[Tommyt]

That's what I personally do.

What's that it was an either or question? :?

Thank you for asking  :lau:

[fish_stix]

"Invariably you'll get different answers" is absolutely correct! LOL. I move my swarms to a beeyard as soon as they're in the trap and I know they're in there, same as catching a swarm on a tree limb, etc. Different strokes for different folks. I have fewer of them leave again by doing it this way, but your results could be completely at odds with mine.  :-D

[Tommyt]

Does anyone have pictures of their Swarm Traps  :roll:
Yes I saw and Like DCoates  :)
But I like Pictures and just for the heck of it  :?
Other Ideas   8-)
Do any of you use those Turd Brown Bucket looking ones :shock:


Tommyt

[VolunteerK9]

Does anyone have pictures of their Swarm Traps  :roll:
Yes I saw and Like DCoates  :)
But I like Pictures and just for the heck of it  :?
Other Ideas   8-)
Do any of you use those Turd Brown Bucket looking ones :shock:


Tommyt

I have one but havent used it yet. I will hang it next year. The drawback with it is you have to do a cutout on them.

[Tommyt]

VolunteerK9
Thanks I wondered if the had bars inside them or not I guess Not
So it also makes them a One time use then too :?
I say they aren't for me

tommyt