Been working hard

[Stlnifr]

Yes I have been preparing for spring and the swarm season. I now have three KTB Hives and 10 KTB Swarm Traps all interchangeable. I have ordered and received 4 oz Lemon Grass Essential Oil. Have acquired permission to set traps out at all three bee trees. Also have permission to set traps on property located with in one block of one standard bee hive Langstrof and with in three blocks of two standard bee hives Langstrof.

If luck be with me then I may just catch a swarm or two. I have 6 good potential sites for trapping bees.

I guess I need to build two more hives just in case I have very good luck.

I will try for after-swarms off the bee trees if I get lucky enough to catch the prime swarms. For the bee trees I have settled for 150 -- 300 -- 600 feet form the trees or should I adjust these distances closer or further?

Another question would a swarm trap serve as a hive if needed too they have 11 top bars 15 inches wide and 11 1/4 height inside trap?

[Tommyt]

 I am doing a trap out using a 15 bar KTBH I think it would also work
just like 8 or 10 frame Box's
 What I plan is watch and be prepared, If they go Full bore and fill it asap
I will either split and use a Large KTBH or transfer the 15 to a 30/35 using a Follower board
I am also very new to Bees so keep that in Mind on my Posts  :-D

Tom

[caticind]

You can certainly leave the swarm to build in the trap for several weeks and get established (and to give you more time to build more hives if you get very lucky).  But I think 11 bars is a little bit small for overwintering - it can be done in the South, but the colony would be pinched for either space or food or both.

Best to use the swarm traps as an interim solution so that you can judge how many hives you need, then move them over into their new homes once they have brood that they won't want to leave.