>I also would like to start with wild bees by attracting a swarm or finding a swarm and capturing them.
If you really want bees I would both buy some and set some traps. It's like fishing. Maybe you'll get some bees and maybe you won't.
> Can anyone tell me what to do to attract them to my new hive
Lemon grass essential oil.
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesferal.htm#baithives> and also what I should do to help them defend the hive till it is well established.
Keep the entrance small.
> I hive will have about 36 bars
I assume you mean a top bar hive?
http://www.bushfarms.com/beestopbarhives.htm> and sombody recomended I build a sepperator so thay start with less space.
A division board or follower board.
> Also recomended I restrict the entrance so it is easier to defend.
Correct.
> My questions are: How many bars to start with
All of them with some on each side of the division board. But as far as how many on the side of the bees, that will depend on the depth of the hive and the width of the hive. I'd give them the space that the cluster occupies.
> and how small should the entrance be?
If you screen part of it to allow for ventilation, you can have it as small as just enough room for one bee. But that's probably overkill. 3/8" by 3 or 4 inches would be fine.
> I would also appriciate any other advice on getting started.
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesnewbees.htmhttp://www.bushfarms.com/beesbasics.htmhttp://www.bushfarms.com/beesglossary.htmhttp://www.bushfarms.com/beesterms.htmhttp://www.bushfarms.com/bees.htm