Swarm Catching

Terri Yaki · May 19, 2024, 09:34:45 PM

I have a screened bottom board that I bought and an extra top cover. I got it out there already and when I move the hive, I'll bait that with lemongrass oil.

The trap was a deep with 3 frames of comb and the rest new frames with plastic foundation. The bottom is a medium with empty frames and popsicle sticks glued into the top and painted with wax. It looked like they were working on the popsicle sticks when I looked in there. I was going to move it as it is and leave it as is unless I get info that I should change it.

gww · May 19, 2024, 09:57:25 PM

You don't need to change anything unless you want to use part of it for a trap.

Terri Yaki · May 19, 2024, 10:12:27 PM

OK, I moved the hive. How's this look for sticks? It's actually lemongrass stalks.

gww · May 19, 2024, 10:14:17 PM

Aught to be fine in my opinion.

Terri Yaki · May 19, 2024, 10:17:06 PM

OK, thanks for the help.

gww · May 19, 2024, 11:26:10 PM

I hope it works out and I believe it will.

Terri Yaki · May 20, 2024, 06:29:46 AM

Thanks, Ben. Now I?m hoping that they don?t get mad that I moved them and vacate. Then I?ll reset and maybe I can help my buddy across the street get back online.

Terri Yaki · May 20, 2024, 08:45:28 AM

OK, I checked on them this morning to find the porch loaded with ants so I moved them back to the trapped location before they started flying. They don't seem to have liked being bothered though and they're kind of testy right now so I'm just going to leave them settle in and try to figure out where the ants came from. I also don't want them to pack up and leave me. A yellow jacket paid them a visit and got backed right back out the way she went in so they are defending their turf against invaders. I believe that the yellow jacket is a queen looking for a nesting place but I might be wrong on that. I have killed about six yellow jacket queens already this year, including one in my garden this morning. I have never seen so many yellow jacket queens before and my neighbors are reporting the same. I'm thinking that the winter was too easy on them and none of them died in harsh conditions. There are bees raising their tails in the air on the porch in what I believe is spreading a pheromone to tell others that this is their new home.

gww · May 20, 2024, 10:33:36 AM

I never worry about ants. Most hives defend themselves just fine and it they don't, they probably have other problems.

Terri Yaki · May 20, 2024, 12:06:28 PM

OK, that makes me feel a little better. I was afraid they'd be bothered by them and leave already. They're out there taking orientation classes. I think I'll leave them there for about ten days. Maybe even longer. They're not in the way where there are, they're just too high to work.

The15thMember · May 20, 2024, 12:12:16 PM

Quote from: gww on May 20, 2024, 10:33:36 AM
I never worry about ants. Most hives defend themselves just fine and it they don't, they probably have other problems.

I agree, I've never had any significant problem with ants. A couple of times where they are an annoyance to me, but the bees don't seem to notice them.

Quote from: Terri Yaki on May 20, 2024, 12:06:28 PM
OK, that makes me feel a little better. I was afraid they'd be bothered by them and leave already. They're out there taking orientation classes. I think I'll leave them there for about ten days. Maybe even longer. They're not in the way where there are, they're just too high to work.

Did you say that you have only completely blank frames with starter strips in this hive? I wouldn't let them go more than a week like that without an inspection, just in case they were to draw anything funky, you'd want to catch it and correct it before it gets out of hand. The starter strips usually work, but that is a LOT of open space, and sometimes the bees have other ideas about what comb shape is best.

If they have a mated queen, it will be 4-5 days until there is open brood in the hive, and once there is they won't abandon the babies.

gww · May 20, 2024, 12:44:08 PM

I personally believe you are going to cause yourself more issues. It is in my opinion going to be harder to move them 80 feet after they have foraged from the trap site for ten days. It will probably work out but you risk a higher portion of lost bees or hard headed bees due to the three mile rule. They would have been taking orientation flights in the right place if you left them. They are learning where home is.

Terri Yaki · May 20, 2024, 12:46:13 PM

Bottom box is a medium with empty frames and starter sticks, top box is medium with 3 frames of comb and seven of empty plastic foundation. After they settle down, I can look in the side port and see what they're up to. I can see all the way through the bottom box but the top box, all I can see is the outer frame.

BeeMaster2 · May 20, 2024, 12:46:23 PM

Terri,
Sugar Ants and fire ants are not a problem. Carpenter ants and Bull ants are a real problem for bees. They can destroy a hive. I use Terra Ant Bait to kill them. Make sure the bees cannot get to the bait. I had a friend who made homemade ant bait and killed all but one hive of a trailer of 13 hives. She just put it in a jar on the ground with a large opening. It is just water sugar and boric acid.
Jim Altmiller

Terri Yaki · May 20, 2024, 12:50:18 PM

It has been suggested to bait ants with a bucket over top to keep the bees out. I have potato salad containers with small holes drilled in and sugar and borax and one with grape jelly in it but it's not doing much to draw the ants in for some reason. I'll have to think about moving them back then. I am concerned that it will screw them up.

Ben Framed · May 20, 2024, 01:08:46 PM

Quote from: gww on May 20, 2024, 10:33:36 AM
I never worry about ants. Most hives defend themselves just fine and it they don't, they probably have other problems.

gww I dont worry to much about ants either. Except the time I was worried about Carpenter ants as I have heard they will do a colony in. I used the stuff Jim and others suggested and it worked. Wish I could remember the brand or name...

Jim?

gww · May 20, 2024, 01:13:09 PM

I don't know the difference between ants. I just know I have plenty and it has never bothered me. I did read that if your hives are on stands, you can put the legs in cans of oil.

Ben Framed · May 20, 2024, 01:34:48 PM

gww, so far I have not lost a hive to ants either, and the general agreement seems to be that carpenter ants can affect a colony. I do not know from first hand experience only what the accepted general consensus is and I did not take the chance.... but...... this leads to a question.

Has anyone here 'personally' lost a hive to carpenter ants?

Phillip

cao · May 20, 2024, 11:10:12 PM

I have at least three different sized ants that take up residence between the inner cover and top cover. None seem to bother the bees. When I see them, I view them as a blessing and a curse. The curse is that it takes time to get them off the inner cover and there is always several crawling on my hands and arms. The blessing is that probably 95% of the time there are ants there the bees are doing great. I guess the heat and moisture that the bees produce makes an ideal home for the bees.

BeeMaster2 · May 21, 2024, 09:35:18 AM

Ben,
The ant bait is Terro. This one.
https://a.co/d/gZ6hKgm
Yes, I have lost several hives to Carpenter Ants. Until I found out about Terro, I would bee killing every ant in the hive and their eggs trying to get rid of them. When they get strong in numbers they will kill a hive. They are really a problem when I have my bees on the trailer in Jacksonville and I?m not there to check on them. I usually set baits at the wheels or jack stands where they can get on the trailer.

I also have had small ants, some micro ants live in my hives but they are not a problem.
Jim Altmiller