I'm just finishing up 7 of these traps. Since I'm also looking at building some Layens hives I made an insert/divider board so I can also use Layens frames in these traps without bees getting into the 'dead space'. Easy design- hope I catch some swarms. Good luck to you!
Good luck! I haven't tried out any of the longer frame hives. I was given an assortment of woodenware by a retired beekeeper when I was getting started, but for the most part it was 10 frame Langstroth.
I build traps similar to that and those traps will work fine. If you want to enhance your swarm catching greatly, melt down old brood comb, propolis and cross comb saved during your hive inspections. Melt this down just before you are ready to put your traps out. Pour it down the inside walls of the traps as well as a little on the bottom and top. I was catching a couple of swarms each year but when I started doing this I started catching 20 to 25 swarms a year. Get your traps out early before you think they should be swarming. If you catch a swarm, take a replacement box with you when you go to pick them up. I often catch swarms back to back by doing this. Swarms like to go to the same tree for some reason so when you find a spot, use it year after year. Make it easy on yourself!! Make them easy to close up and easy to hang and retrieve! It usually takes me less than 5 minutes to drive up to a trap, close it up and load it into my truck and hang a new trap. I hope this may help you and others who want to catch swarms.
That is so so so many swarms! What are you doing with them all? Do you run that many hives? The local swarm/cut-out guy in my town typically gets 30 calls all season. I do know a commercial beekeeper south of me who’s probably about at your numbers with traps and she uses them to draw out massive amounts of comb each year.
@@BeensBees I keep some and some I sell or give away. They are great for drawing out foundation and some big swarms produce enough honey to take some the first year. I usually put out 7 or 8 traps, within 15 miles of my home. Some are on trees in parking lots of businesses that give me permission. Some are along the wood line of pastures or food plots on hunt clubs. Good luck..
If you approach the matter with the attitude of attracting swarms things might go better. Bait the hive with lemon grass oil, some old comb and if they are around and the volume is not too small they will arrive. It's that simple. No need for hoisting up trees or any of that film flam.
I've never had any luck with traps lower than 6 feet off the ground. Some people are religious about keeping them in that 12-15 feet zone, and I haven't done that. I know some people have abandoned hives get repopulated with a swarm, it happens. I just haven't had any luck with it.
Just one with five traps out. So not as successful as i’d like. The competition is fierce in my town, everyone is trapping. So i’m thinking next year i need to expand my area. Only issue is that my first child arrived this week and i’m gonna be pushed to find MORE time for traps.
How did you do last year? The smoke from the Canadian fires really affected us in PA. Lot of people did NOT catch any swarms at all. I got 6 swarms and bears got 14 of my traps.
Last year I had two traps up and caught 1 between the two. But we had our first child last winter so I didn't have the time I was hoping for. I did 2 other non-trap swarm catches. Selling nucs was really the big new project last year.
Yeah, just one catch and i didn’t like the footage that i got. I’ve still got boxes out that i didn’t get taken down, so i’ll refresh the lure in the spring and keep putting out more traps.
Swarm Trapping is a numbers game. The more you put out the better your odds. I placed near water source and used Swarm Commanded
I'm just finishing up 7 of these traps. Since I'm also looking at building some Layens hives I made an insert/divider board so I can also use Layens frames in these traps without bees getting into the 'dead space'. Easy design- hope I catch some swarms. Good luck to you!
Good luck! I haven't tried out any of the longer frame hives. I was given an assortment of woodenware by a retired beekeeper when I was getting started, but for the most part it was 10 frame Langstroth.
I build traps similar to that and those traps will work fine. If you want to enhance your swarm catching greatly, melt down old brood comb, propolis and cross comb saved during your hive inspections. Melt this down just before you are ready to put your traps out. Pour it down the inside walls of the traps as well as a little on the bottom and top. I was catching a couple of swarms each year but when I started doing this I started catching 20 to 25 swarms a year. Get your traps out early before you think they should be swarming. If you catch a swarm, take a replacement box with you when you go to pick them up. I often catch swarms back to back by doing this. Swarms like to go to the same tree for some reason so when you find a spot, use it year after year. Make it easy on yourself!! Make them easy to close up and easy to hang and retrieve! It usually takes me less than 5 minutes to drive up to a trap, close it up and load it into my truck and hang a new trap. I hope this may help you and others who want to catch swarms.
That is so so so many swarms! What are you doing with them all? Do you run that many hives? The local swarm/cut-out guy in my town typically gets 30 calls all season. I do know a commercial beekeeper south of me who’s probably about at your numbers with traps and she uses them to draw out massive amounts of comb each year.
@@BeensBees I keep some and some I sell or give away. They are great for drawing out foundation and some big swarms produce enough honey to take some the first year. I usually put out 7 or 8 traps, within 15 miles of my home. Some are on trees in parking lots of businesses that give me permission. Some are along the wood line of pastures or food plots on hunt clubs. Good luck..
If you approach the matter with the attitude of attracting swarms things might go better. Bait the hive with lemon grass oil, some old comb and if they are around and the volume is not too small they will arrive. It's that simple. No need for hoisting up trees or any of that film flam.
I've never had any luck with traps lower than 6 feet off the ground. Some people are religious about keeping them in that 12-15 feet zone, and I haven't done that. I know some people have abandoned hives get repopulated with a swarm, it happens. I just haven't had any luck with it.
Thanks for some good points. We’re you successful catching swarms?
Just one with five traps out. So not as successful as i’d like. The competition is fierce in my town, everyone is trapping. So i’m thinking next year i need to expand my area. Only issue is that my first child arrived this week and i’m gonna be pushed to find MORE time for traps.
Nice swarm trap.. will you post video if you catch a swarm? I caught 1 swarm in a trap I built last year.
Yes! I’ll do a followup video of any catches. We’ve got all the signs of a heavy swarm season coming.
How did you do last year? The smoke from the Canadian fires really affected us in PA. Lot of people did NOT catch any swarms at all. I got 6 swarms and bears got 14 of my traps.
Last year I had two traps up and caught 1 between the two. But we had our first child last winter so I didn't have the time I was hoping for. I did 2 other non-trap swarm catches. Selling nucs was really the big new project last year.
I would like to see a video of the bees you have caught or did it not work?
Yeah, just one catch and i didn’t like the footage that i got. I’ve still got boxes out that i didn’t get taken down, so i’ll refresh the lure in the spring and keep putting out more traps.
@Been's Bees I'm building some now hopefully you can catch my video when I put it up and give me a but of advice I don't have a mentor to help
@@LONESTARPIONEERING happy to!