Swarm Traps

[Carriage House Farm]

Built three today.  Till now I've been using 5 frame nucs boxes, but I need to nucs for splits this year so I made some quick and dirty plywood ones with anchors for rope/chain to pull up into a tree.  No more ladder and mounting.  Trow a rope up, attach, pull it up, tie off to the tree and leave.

I will am using old comb and queen phermone in half and old comb and lemon grass in the other half.  With the warm temps and major bloom we have been having, far earlier this year than in recent past, I need to make sure this are up before the end of next week.  I think this season MAY be a major swarm season if we do not have a killing freeze that wrecks blooms and buds.

Here are some photos of the boxes:





5 frame boxes.  Each will have a comb frame and 4 foundation frames.  Deep frames.  They are coated with a clear decking sealer.  The entrance hole is 1/2".  THe anchors are mounted in opposite corners.

I'll post photos of them out in the field maybe next week or if I am busy and do not get a chance to upload the week later.

[JordanM]

Looks good keep us posted.

[contactme_11]

If you enlarge the entrance hole to 3/4" you can use a wine bottle cork to block it when you go to collect.

[JP]

Quote from Carriage House  "I think this season MAY be a major swarm season if we do not have a killing freeze that wrecks blooms and buds."

So far so good down here in southeast Louisiana, knee deep in 'em. Like your traps. They would work for a good many swarms down here but not for the big swarms that get into the 7-8 lb range.


...JP

[bailey]

they are much like the traps i have made for this year. only thing i did diffrent is i used medium frames since i am using all mediums.
jp and i have a running debate if they will be effective due to the small volume inside.
what i have done is use 1 drawn comb,2 empty frames and 1 starter strip with an empty frame between the drawn comb and the starter strip so they have a larger area to enter into.
if they dont work as traps they do work well as queen rasing boxes!
both jp and i have raised nice little queens with my box setup this year.

bailey

[JP]

Hey Bailey, I don't doubt for a second those boxes you made will hold a 3 lber.


...JP

[Pond Creek Farm]

Should the comb simply be empty old brood comb?  I have several frames of large cell foundation that is drawn out that I will never use in a hive.  Perhaps they would make good swarm trap frames.

[JP]

If you don't want to use them in the hive, you could remove the foundation and tack in a starter strip.

A piece of old comb in the trap is sufficient to lure a swarm.


...JP

[vmi1839]

I've recently built a few swarm traps and was wondering if I may have made a mistake in making them all medium frame depth.  I'm new to beekeeping and was trying to do the Michael Bush thing of all medium frames.  I realized in reading this thread that I may have wanted to go with deep frames for the swarm traps.

Since everything I have is 8 frame medium, could I make a swarm trap that was the size of an 8 frame medium box?

[Carriage House Farm]

I just put a piece of old comb in.  If you are going to go mediums, I'd suggest doing a full box, but keep in mind (anyone doing this) as was discussed above, the further south you go the more bees you get in a swarm compared to northern locales.  Our swarms around here are small, healthy and productive for certain, but small nonetheless.  So, if you want to stay on all mediums and simply make it a brood box.  A full 8 frames.  If you have small swarms, I'd still suggest a large box.  Bees like the space I think.  You COULD use the equivalent of a double medium nuc too.

Lots of options.

Like anything else in beekeeping, what works for you is what works for you.  :D

It may take a couple seasons to figure that out.

[vmi1839]

I'll utilize what I've got for now and any new swarm traps that I make will be full 8 frame medium size.

Is there any "science" behind where one places their swarm traps or is it just pretty much blind luck?

[BjornBee]

I'll utilize what I've got for now and any new swarm traps that I make will be full 8 frame medium size.

Is there any "science" behind where one places their swarm traps or is it just pretty much blind luck?

A perfect book on the topic, including research data, is a book from Root Publications (Bee Culture) called "swarming". It costs $5 including shipping. Call 1-800-289-7668 and ask for item #X56  Well worth the money. Covers building boxes, what bees prefer, placement, etc. Well worth the 5 dollars.

Placement for swarm trap success directly relates to the swarming rate within a particular area. If there are no swarms being issued, it doesn't matter what you do. If swarm are being issued, there are things you can do to increase your chances of success.

[ArmucheeBee]

I like staying with all medium frames too, so why don't you build a standard size swarm box and just use your med. frames in it.  Sure they may build on the bottom, but if you are checking the trap regular this should not get too bad.  Just scrap it off and put in your med. equipment.  Make sure the laws in your state do not prohibit putting med. frames in standard boxes!! :evil: