Makes me wonder. Swarm box question

Drone1986 · March 12, 2019, 09:40:36 AM

Hello all. First post. Checking swarm boxes about dark yesterday. Noticed in my boxes they are not swarms but only two or three bees per box just hanging out. Not active just sitting there for the night. What could be the reason for that?

chux · March 12, 2019, 09:48:29 AM

Could be foragers who got stuck out at night, and decided to hang out till tomorrow. Or, it could be scouts who stayed a little too long. Maybe got a little too cold. What part of NC are you in?

Drone1986 · March 12, 2019, 09:53:29 AM

I am located in Seagrove. Yeah got down the 38 last night.

BeeMaster2 · March 12, 2019, 02:50:46 PM

Welcome to Beemaster.
It is normal for bees to spend the night out on the town.
If you want to prove this, just close up the hive before sunrise and watch how many bees return after it warms up. On a strong hive, could bee 1000 or so.

Jim

drobbins · March 12, 2019, 06:22:31 PM

Hey Guys,

I'm in central NC and I have 1 trap set
Working on a couple more
I'm thinking swarming (both catching them and in my own hives) won't really get going till we have a bit more of a flow
Am I waiting too long?
I know stuff happens fast at this time of year

Dave

Drone1986 · March 13, 2019, 08:28:27 AM

Hey, they have already been some swarms around in my area. Not many but they are happening. It will take a really strong hive to do it. Plus, wanted to get all my stuff in place just so bees know that it is there.

Michael Bush · March 13, 2019, 08:29:53 AM

Just to keep our terminology straight, what you are describing is a "bait hive" or a "swarm trap". A "swarm box" is something you use as a cell starter in queen rearing also sometimes called a "cell starter hive" or "starter hive". The term "swarm box" or "swarming box" was coined by Henry Alley.

http://bushfarms.com/beesalleymethod.htm#swarming_box
http://bushfarms.com/beesterms.htm#s
http://bushfarms.com/beesbetterqueens.htm#The%20Starter%20Hive

Drone1986 · March 13, 2019, 12:46:06 PM

Well thanks for clearing that up. Where I am I have just always been called a swarm box, especially since I have seen them made from cardboard boxes or as mine is made from old rotten hive equipment boxes no longer in use.

drobbins · March 13, 2019, 01:33:47 PM

Drone1986

I'm doing the same thing, using old boxes
what are you putting in them?
I'm using about half old stinky frames and half new frames with starter strips
plus I have some lemongrass oil with an old queen in it and a few ampules of "swarm commander"

Drone1986 · March 13, 2019, 02:20:31 PM

Yeah im basically doing the same thing. I have a few really old brood frames and a couple frames with foundation beside them then some old foundationless frames on the end. They seem to really like old dirty rotten stuff. Built some that hang from trees this year. Nice new plywood all painted up. No activity at all. Old rotten 9 frame box falling apart placed on a high stump and one places on the high porch of an old house and getting all kinds of activity. I am using swarm commander jell on a cotton ball in a sandwich bag not shut all the way and a drop or two in entrance.

drobbins · March 13, 2019, 03:08:45 PM

old equipment smells like bees, it's much better
I kept bees from 2005 till about 2014 then got busy with other stuff and let them die out
a swarm moved into old equipment I had left out 2 years ago and got my interest back going
now I'm retired and have more time for bees and garden and that old equipment needs to be retired
perfect for swarm traps