Thanks JW for the info. I thought about using drawn comb for its added lure porential but am worried about moths eating me alive. Maybe it would be worth rubbing the inside of the trap with beeswax before hanging? Since you mention screened and solid bottom boards, what do you guys think is best for a trap? I have screened bottoms in all the nucs Ive built, but was concerned that the open bottom may deter swarms so I stapled a piece of cardboard in the bottoms of the nucs being used for traps, it wont be any big deal to pull the cardboard out later, is this necessary? Thanks guys for all your help, I have yet to catch any bees in my traps, but I am optomistic.
side note: I happened upon two more ferral colonies yesterday and they both looked really strong! One is in a catalpa tree right long side the road, Ive driven by it a hundred times or more and never noticed. The other is in the wall of an abondoned house. I had looked this house over before and never had seen bees, but yesterday I looked up and noticed the bees coming in through a whole in the roof, sure enough they were flying right into what used to be the living room across the kitchen and into a whole in the wall right above the kitchen sink! Two more swarm traps need placed!