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Author Topic: How to pick Swarm Trap locations?  (Read 10385 times)

Offline Michael Bush

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Re: How to pick Swarm Trap locations?
« Reply #20 on: January 15, 2010, 11:24:16 am »
A good place is anyplace I had swarm traps last year and got some.  I'll put up more.  A bad place is anyplace I had swarm traps last year and didn't get any...
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
-------------------
"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin

Offline JP

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Re: How to pick Swarm Trap locations?
« Reply #21 on: January 15, 2010, 05:00:37 pm »
a good place is anyplace I had swarm traps last year and got some.  I'll put up more.  a bad place is anyplace I had swarm traps last year and didn't get any...


 :lau:


...JP
My Youtube page is titled JPthebeeman with hundreds of educational & entertaining videos.

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Offline Grandma_DOG

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Re: How to pick Swarm Trap locations?
« Reply #22 on: January 15, 2010, 06:50:42 pm »
a good place is anyplace I had swarm traps last year and got some.  I'll put up more.  a bad place is anyplace I had swarm traps last year and didn't get any...


My research says to expect 10% occupancy of traps. Is that close to realistic?
Here is my new book on Swarm Trapping at http://learningbeekeeping.com/beekeeping-articles/how-to-swarm-trap/ and follow me on youtube at OutOfaBlueSky

Offline Michael Bush

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Re: How to pick Swarm Trap locations?
« Reply #23 on: January 17, 2010, 05:38:02 am »
10% is a good guess, but it's like fishing.  If all your boxes are in good locations (near existing colonies likely to swarm) then you might even get 90%.  If all of them are in poor locations, you may get 0%.
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
-------------------
"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin

Offline Grandma_DOG

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Re: How to pick Swarm Trap locations?
« Reply #24 on: January 17, 2010, 08:09:51 pm »
I've dug up several studies. They all agree that the 30-40 liter cavity is ideal.  But one also varied the entrance hole. Much to my suprise, if you open it up too much, it becomes highly undesirable. A 40 liter cavity with 15 cm ^2 entrance is the near ideal hive. But open that up to a 60 cm^2 and bees reject it and take a sub par 15 liter hive with 15 cm^2 hole.
Here is my new book on Swarm Trapping at http://learningbeekeeping.com/beekeeping-articles/how-to-swarm-trap/ and follow me on youtube at OutOfaBlueSky