# swarm-catching bucket



## dehavik (Jun 5, 2010)

I saw a 30-second video last year of two guys catching a swarm high in a tree using a pole bucket. Since I don't have a ladder-and _really _want to catch a swarm this year-I spent $15 at Home Depot and made one myself. 





















I unscrew the bucket from the pole and keep my swarm jump kit in it. The bucket cups the swarm, then the beekeeper gives it a sharp push to dislodge the bees from the branch, then pours the swarm right into a box or nuc.

Now, I just need someone to call me. This is my third year advertising for swarms. Let's hope third time's the charm.


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## SteveBee (Jul 15, 2010)

Here's mine. Same bucket with variations. The paint roller pole is telescoping and the bucket swivels..

http://honeysunapiary.wordpress.com/tech-tools/swarm-catching-bucket/


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## dehavik (Jun 5, 2010)

Very nice, SteveBee! And thanks for the detailed instructions. Now if I had only seen this earlier...


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## robherc (Mar 17, 2012)

dehavik said:


> This is my third year advertising for swarms. Let's hope third time's the charm.


Where/how are you advertising? Advertising's a lot like fishing...gotta have the right bait in the right honey-hole, at the right time...THEN you have to hope that nobody else already caught your fish! inch:


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## dehavik (Jun 5, 2010)

The first year was word-of-mouth in our enormous county of 1200 souls.

The second year I was on swarm lists for four counties and placed fliers around the county.

This year, the third, we moved far north and I have placed fliers in every major business in the town, spread the word with neighbors and friends, posted at the extension office, placed my name on the swarm list, and put an ad in the local paper for people to host a hive on their property. This month, I am scouting out placed to put bait hives and doing presentations in my kids' classes, so hope to spread the word that way, too. 

I think a lot of it must depend on 1) people spotting a swarm; 2) recognizing what it is and what it means; 3) making a connection in their minds between swarms and beekeepers; and 4) caring enough to make the effort to find a phone number and call. That's a lot of steps for folks.


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## robherc (Mar 17, 2012)

might also try posting free classified ads on Craigslist.org ... got me lots of attention earlier this spring (though admittedly, when I added a price tag for the cut-outs the phone calls thinned out a lot)


Just a thought, happy swarm chasing!
-Rob


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## taydeko (Jan 3, 2012)

I built a similar bucket. I just caught my 4th swarm today. Frequently the swarms here are bigger than the bucket mouth, so I sometimes just use a small hive instead. I used the pole for the first time to get two clusters. One was about 9 feet up and the other was about 12 feet up. The bucket worked great for this one, except that I didn't get the queen on the first shake. I got her on the second try, when I dumped the bucket on a sheet in front of the hive, and she crawled up the side of the hive and all the bees left the inside to cluster on the queen on the outside of the hive. We had to start all over again.

Having a great time catching swarms!
Ted


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## lazy shooter (Jun 3, 2011)

SteveBee said:


> Here's mine. Same bucket with variations. The paint roller pole is telescoping and the bucket swivels..
> 
> http://honeysunapiary.wordpress.com/tech-tools/swarm-catching-bucket/


Dang Steve, that looks commercially built. You must be a machinist or have one close at hand. Great tool.


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## MrHappy (Feb 10, 2012)

One thing that messed me up a few times has been the round bucket. I tried getting bees off the side of buildings and it just didn't work. Got an old cat litter bucket that is square and it works great now. I can slide it up along the side of the house and none fall down the sides.


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## tazke (Mar 23, 2015)

After reading this post we came up with a swarm catching pole. Thought I would share it with you guys. Thanks for all the great ideas!!

We used a painters pole, it was way to flimsy for a bucket. We cut the end off a large water jug. Then we took a handle from a paint roller, cut it off and then put some duct tape so it was firmly lodged in the bottle opening. A couple screws secured it in the opening.
When I cut the bottom off I actually made two cuts so I could use the bottom as a lid , I used my band saw so it was a pretty clean cut. We then attached some thin bungee cord to hold the lids on so it will flip up and secure on pretty easily/quickly.

We just unscrew the jug and put them in a hive or nuc. This was a pretty large swarm so it took several times to get the majority of them.


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## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

I built one with a 5 gallon plastic water cooler jug, an adjustable flag pole bracket and a heavy duty telescoping painter's pole.
Just cut the top off the jug, bolt the bracket to the bottom and presto.... swarm catching jug. Light weight and pretty strong.
Nice looking catch devices so far.


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## mtndewluvr (Oct 28, 2012)

Sounds like I built mine just like Mr. Beeman's. Here's a link to one of the swarms I caught with it.


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## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

mtndewluvr,
That is exactly how mine looked when I built it four years ago. The only difference is my water bottle does not have the handle built into it. 
Surprisingly strong, yet lightweight. Good job!


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## BernhardHeuvel (Mar 13, 2013)

Catching a swarm with a bucket: (Catching the queen along the process, the queen always floats on top of a swarm when shaking it down.)




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SXGtrkOd_g

How to get out bees of a swarm catching net:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUfguxPCkmA

On the use of the "swarm catching pipe". 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lah_Ms53R6s 

Called "Seifertsche Schwarmfangrohr" in German after it's inventor Henry Seifert. 

No ladder needed anymore for swarms in greater hights. Up to three pipe sections can be handled. Most of the bee cluster slides down inside the pipe right into a swarm catching net at the lower end of the pipe.


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