Swarm Trap or Trapout??

[ridger12]

Hello! I have a wild honey bee colony about 200 yards away from where my hives are currently located. They are about 10 feet up and inside a huge red oak tree. I have only seen one entrance to their colony. I was planning on putting some swarm traps around the area late next spring. Would it be better to put a screen funnel over the entrance to the wild bee hive and just trap them out into a nuc or a deep super? I am leaning toward the traps because I like having the wild hive nearby but I thought it would be good to get some more advice from more experienced beekeepers than myself. Thanks!

[Hambone]

On a feral hive that does not need to be removed or is not ask to be removed, I would swarm trap them no doubt. You can get 2+ swarms from that hive every year. Compared to 1 hive total from a trap out.

[Michael Bush]

Do you want the genetics? Then leaving them will provide drones and catching swarms from them will provide queens. A cone will provide neither.

[peacekeeperapiaries]

I agree with everyone, if they dont need to be removed leave them and reap the rewards of the swarms.

[DroneDawg]

Please explain how you set up a swarm trap and a trapout. Newbee here. I have a neighbor with bees in a big oak tree. He wants then removed without cutting up the tree.

[ridger12]

A swarm trap is a container designed to catch swarms. They are often "baited" with Lemongrass Oil or pheremone to attract the swarm. When you trapout you attempt to remove the colony from whatever they are occupying. Here is a link to a youtube video of a trapout that shows it better than I can explain it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qJ7v8XSbW0 Trapout Video

[rkr]

DroneDawg,
I have to do two trap-outs next spring, they will be my first so this info is what I have learned not experience. That being said up front, a trap-out is where you have a (minimum?)12" long screen "tube" with a 3/8th inch opening at the end.
Link to Youtube example of a cone in action the hole on the end may be a bit large on this one.
The bees can get out but when they try to get back in the opening they can't because of the screen. You put a hive with a few bees and brood right up next the the original opening, with in 2" I have learned. The bees, being "locked out" of the hive have a choice, adopt a new home or die outside. It takes 6-8 weeks to do, you have to make sure their is only one opening and you do not get the original queen, they make one from the brood you provide.

Do a search for both and you will be able to get a full picture of each process. There is more to it, but that is enough to get you started,

RKR

[ridger12]

Thanks for the advice everybody. I wish I would have known about the wild bees before I bought a package last spring. I haven't seen wild bees around here in the last 20 years. They seem to be making a slow come back and I bet they are much more resistant to disease than the package bees I bought.

[DroneDawg]

rkr and ridger12 thank you so much for the info. Have a great weekend.