Well, YaHoo!

[JackM]

Back in March I put out a bait hive at this golf course that has had swarms every year for me.  Never got a swarm call, and never informed about any activity at the bait hives.  Well went to get them this morning.  Kind of chilly, 58, but they should have been active.  Banged on the hive, nothing, watched for a minute or so, nothing.  So without gear on I clamber up the big ole oak tree.  Took it down, thinking; "Wow this is awful heavy."  Well I got on the ground before they decided to let me know they were residents.  Mind you no gear on.  Dropped box and ran, only got 2 stings.  (I am allergic and get an awful reaction, tomorrow I won't be able to use my arm, especially since it took a half hour to get any benadryl on board).

So went home got my gear and took drugs.  By the time I got back they were chill with just a few fanning at the entrance.  Blocked it and took down the other hive I had out there.  Used a large 8 frame and it is 2/3 full of bees, so it was a good sized swarm.  They currently are orienting to their new location on the sunny side of the house. 

This makes 5 swarms I have gotten off this one wild hive, way up in an oak tree.  No way you could get equipment in there to do a trap out, so this is second best and sure beats doing a swarm up a tree.

[GSF]

In the last two years I've caught right at 70 swarms. 4 summers into it and I've never caught one in a bait hive.

[KeyLargoBees]

opposite here....I have 24 swarms and counting in swarm traps this year and a total of one shake out of a tree and two forced absconds out of structures the bees had been in less than a week LOL.

[BeeMaster2]

Most of my hives come from my swarm traps. Only a few are from actual swarms. Most of them come from some where to the NW of my yard.
Jim

[JackM]

I would assume that since I knew where the main hive was, and with (my ego needs this) thought and planning, along with suggestions from here, the bait hive was located in the right spot.  The other hive did not get any bees.

Regardless, it is a great feeling to help nature, help the golf course, not have to rush out due to a swarm scaring it's clients.

As far as the bait hive, It had half the frames with old comb, the other half empty, along with lure and lemongrass oil.

[KeyLargoBees]

I refuse to hang full size bait hives....too heavy and a pain in the butt...these have worked really well for me this year and are 2:1 over 5 frame nucs
http://www.horizontalhive.com/how-to-build/swarm-trap-free-plans.shtml

[mtnb]

Nice Jack! Bee careful being allergic and all. Hope your arm's ok.

I still haven't caught anything yet either. I totally agree Jeff. Full hives in a tree sucks. I'm not sure if I can even get them down without spilling it everywhere. lol I think maybe mine are in too much shade also. I'm thinking of moving them. I've been looking out for swarms but they're seen everywhere over an hour away but none here. Been getting a bunch of wasp calls with my swarm card I distributed. lol

[BeeMaster2]

Mtbee,
Instead of climbing up a ladder and placing a hive, screw in a strong hook and better yet, place a pulley it. Use a rope on the hook or the pulley and then you do need the ladder to raise and lower the trap. This is a whole lot safer and easier. Place a hook on the front and back of the trap and use rope or wire between the 2 hooks. Tie the rope in the center of the rope/wire just a little back from center to make it lean a little down in the front.
Tie a piece of string from the back of the trap to the tree to keep it from spinning around.
Good luck.
Jim

[JackM]

The rope/pully idea is good and will use next year. 

The reason for a whole deep is/was that this donor hive throws huge swarms and the swarm needs a big box, they did not go to the smaller one 15 feet away.

[BeeMaster2]

Jack,
I had the same thing happen this year, a very large hive passed 4 deep nucs and went in a stack of empty supers that I added a cover, a top entrance and 10 empty frames. They built 18" of comb in 13 days.
Jim