Trapped my first swarm

220 · December 13, 2017, 04:36:01 AM

Did a run around my swarm traps at the farm today.
I have 10 out most are 8 frame deep boxes although I also put out two 5 frame deep nuc boxes. Lots of activity around the one I thought least likely. A 5 frame nuc that I forgot to bait with lemon grass oil. A couple of bees per second entering and leaving so I'm guessing they have already moved in, 4m off the ground so didn't have a look in it but plan to this weekend.
100% certain they aren't my bees so that is a bonus. I did a cut out on a rotten stump about 150y from the trap last year, thinking was the cut out from last year had come from somewhere originally so I set a couple of traps within 200y. The other is a 8 frame and has been baited with lemon grass oil.

BeeMaster2 · December 13, 2017, 07:43:38 PM

In order to determine if they moved in watch for bees carrying pollen. Scouts don't normally carry any while looking for honey. Do not wait more than 7 days to move them. I have had swarms make over 22" vertical comb in a 10 frame box in 10 days.
Jim

220 · December 13, 2017, 09:47:19 PM

I plan on having a look tomorrow or over the weekend depending on weather.
I have frames in the box and at least one with a starter strip so hopefully they build in the right place.

220 · December 16, 2017, 03:31:36 PM

Still haven't had a look inside, ran out of time with hay carting yesterday but did stop beside it and climb onto the roof of the ute to get a better look at the bees entering. Looks like there is pollen coming in so they should be committed to their new home.
Another thing with their choice of this trap is the entrance size, When I made the nuc boxes up I made 10 boxes, 5 bottom boards & lids so everything was interchangeable. With nucs I have been using a entrance reducer to give them a 1" opening but this trap was set without one so the entrance is 1/2" by the full width of a 5 frame nuc.
Seems the only thing I did right was the location, box is smaller than ideal, entrance is larger than ideal forgot to apply LGS yet the bees were still happy to move in.

Dallasbeek · December 16, 2017, 05:00:18 PM

220, you guys down under and your utes make me sick. Why can't we get those in the states? Are they still making them? I'm refering to the Holden, a General Motors brand in Oz, not the more generic ones like from South America. That is one great looking vehicle. And I've read the performance is good, too.

Psparr · December 16, 2017, 09:48:58 PM

We can?t even get real light bulbs anymore. You think the lefties will let us FREE Americans have utes?

Dallasbeek · December 16, 2017, 10:15:06 PM

Quote from: Psparr on December 16, 2017, 09:48:58 PM
We can?t even get real light bulbs anymore. You think the lefties will let us FREE Americans have utes?

Yeah, you got that right. Who gave them so much power? Maybe we could get Elon Musk to build some for us. The Tesla Ute-- 0 to 60 in 3.5 seconds and carries all your stuff in the open bed. I hate moving bees in an SUV!

220 · December 17, 2017, 02:15:32 AM

Don't worry we cant get them anymore either, the Aussie car manufacturing industry is dead, Holden officially ceased production October, Ford and Toyota last year. No more real utes for us.

Dallasbeek · December 17, 2017, 02:07:48 PM

Sad. You may even have to learn to drive cars with steering wheels on the "right" (that is, left) side and drive on the "right" (right) side of the road. Well, I guess not. You can get cars made in England. Seriously, that's a blow to your economy, I should think.

220 · December 17, 2017, 07:24:18 PM

Even you guys make cars with the wheel on the correct (right) side, plenty of mustangs on the road since ford stopped offering the performance falcons, they all have the wheel in the right place.

Psparr · December 17, 2017, 07:59:23 PM

My first car was a 60 something Mail Jeep. Cost $200. Has to go through the drive throughs backwards.

220 · December 21, 2017, 10:58:32 PM

Got the trap down last night and relocated it. Opened it today to have a look, centre 3 frames fully drawn, nice patch of capped brood about 6" round on the centre frame. Must have been running short on frames when I set it as the outside frames were 1/2 depth. One was fully drawn and they had started to build down from the bottom bar the other they hadn't started on at all so changed it out with a full depth frame with foundation.
Will let them do want with the 1/2 depth frame they have drawn for now and remove it once they are better established.

BeeMaster2 · December 22, 2017, 06:57:11 AM

That half depth frame will probably be drawn out straight if it is between 2 full depth frames.
Good luck.
Jim

220 · December 22, 2017, 07:13:23 AM

Yes they are drawing it straight of the bottom bar. Wont be a issue and given a this stage the frame is 25% of the comb they have I don't want to remove it.

iddee · December 22, 2017, 07:33:01 AM

`I have a few frames like that. I just call hem deep frames with the bottom bar in the middle.

They work just as well as any other frame in the brood chamber. Just don't try to extract one.

BeeMaster2 · December 22, 2017, 11:24:48 AM

Just use the comb below the frame as cut comb.
Jim

220 · December 29, 2017, 08:17:41 AM

Got around to putting another trap in the same location a few days ago. Daughter was along to help. This time it is a 8 frame hive with a reduced entrance. I placed the bottom board on my frame attached to the tree and was lifting the box into place when my daughter said is that a bee. Sure enough it was a bee investigating the box. By the time I got the lid on half a dozen bees had gone in and out of the hive.
First thought is they are foragers that were spending the night outside the hive the night I moved it or bees that didnt reorientate to the new location. I didnt notice any bees hanging around the trap location before we started to install the second trap and the few bees that were about are noticably darker than those we trapped.
I will have a look tomorrow if it is fine and might get an answer.