# Legallity of swarm traps



## Muellerbee (Feb 5, 2017)

Hello all,
I am preparing for the swarm trapping season in my area of central California specifically San Luis Obispo and am wondering what the legal regulations are for hanging swarm traps on state owned land. Obviously I wouldn't hang traps on private property but if there is a nice tree off the side of the highway is it fair game? This seems like a newb question but after looking around trapping journals I've come up with nothing. Should I call the local Ag commissioners office?


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## Ferg (Aug 7, 2015)

I have thought the same thing, I think they will shoot you down and talk about liability to the public. That said there sure are some nice looking spots along some state roads.


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## Bee Havin (Mar 1, 2017)

I'm going with Don't ask don't Tell.


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## Bbeel90 (Feb 27, 2016)

I've tried it on land owned my MDC and Ferg is right. Officer said it would be a liability and they didn't want people messing with the equipment.


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## Harley Craig (Sep 18, 2012)

here is the great thing about state owned land. Unless there is a law that specifically prohibits it,......it's legal. They only problem is, it could be some obsecure law in the middle of some other non related law etc. So is ti worth it? What's wrong with placing them on private property? I've never had a land owner tell me no, and sometimes they will say well if you catch one I wouldn't mind having a few hives around and you just got yourself a future out yard.


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## Eikel (Mar 12, 2014)

+1 with Harley. Been told no a number of times but beyond that nothing but positive things.


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## MichiganMike (Mar 25, 2014)

My view is a trap is no different than a deer hunters tree stand.


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## BadBeeKeeper (Jan 24, 2015)

Muellerbee said:


> ...if there is a nice tree off the side of the highway is it fair game?


If the highway is a divided, limited-access highway that is part of the US Interstate Highway System, it is [generally] not permissible to stop except for "emergency purposes". I don't think that placing or retrieving a swarm trap would meet the definition of 'emergency', and the State Police/Highway Patrol might be inclined to instigate a revenue enhancement action. Placing one in an official 'rest area' where it is legal to stop, might incur an adverse reaction from management, on the grounds that it might create a 'public nuisance'.

There is one fellow near here, that places traps at a local major truckstop. It is said that he catches a lot of bees that escape from trucks transporting hives to the blueberry fields on the coast.


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## Ravenseye (Apr 2, 2006)

I'd make a few phone calls to local, state and / or club folks and get the lowdown. There may be a restriction on specifically having a trap out or just a restriction on personal property. I know in this state there are very specific rules regarding what you can and cannot leave on state, conservation, preserve and wildlife managed lands. Many of those overlap so Harley is right in that an otherwise unrelated rule can affect your decision. 

I'd never just do it and leave it at that. If there's a problem, the reputation of all beekeepers takes a hit.


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## Fishmaster50 (Apr 30, 2015)

My buddy was at a county park last year and a swarm came threw. So I have been talking,meeting with people for over a month now. I am hoping to get a answer soon so I can get traps out. But there are 9 county parks so I'm hoping if I get in this one maybe I can get in the other ones too. Wait and see!!!


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## soarwitheagles (May 23, 2015)

If you paint your swarm traps camouflage according to the background they are being placed at, chances of the trap being found are nearly zero. I would not place a trap while stopping on a highway, as that could lead to a ticket and maybe even something worse as it is a safety issue too.

Wish you lots of luck and success!


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

>If you paint your swarm traps camouflage according to the background they are being placed at, chances of the trap being found are nearly zero.

Swarms find homes in trees all the time. What better camouflage is that? They find traps by scent, that is why we put lure in them. They can't see the lure, they smell it.


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## Reef Resiner (Jun 9, 2015)

"What momma don't know, can't hewrt her."


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## flyin-lowe (May 15, 2014)

Come on Frank, LOL. You didn't really think he meant the bees couldn't find the trap did you? He is talking about other people seeing it since it would be on public property. What you sippin on tonight?:lookout:

As for the original post always feel if it is not your property then get permission before you do something on it, period. Even if it is public owned property.


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## Charlie B (May 20, 2011)

flyin-lowe said:


> Come on Frank, LOL. You didn't really think he meant the bees couldn't find the trap did you? He is talking about other people seeing it since it would be on public property. What you sippin on tonight?:lookout:


:lpf:


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## soarwitheagles (May 23, 2015)

Dang Frank,

Honey wine [Mead] is only suppose to be drank in small quanities!

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-Mead-Honey-Wine/

I highly recommend smaller dosages...









PS Charlie, Frank may need some special counseling...hopefully the counseling will also help him catch more swarms! Frank, what ever you do, do not climb up those tall ladders for swarms after experimenting with the mead...

PSS Muellerbee, to be 100% honest with you, I agree with Flyinlowe's advice...obtain permission first...no need to offend someone or get yourself in trouble. I have met people who are of the persuasion, "Shoot first and ask questions later." No joke, there are simply too many wacko's out there to risk placing a hive without permission. Believe it or not, some of my neighbors thought my swarm traps were secret cameras and that I was spying on someone!


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## beepro (Dec 31, 2012)

With the heavy laws and regulations and all it will be impossible to get the proper permission from any department. Who would be responsible for the the liability?
In a more populated location the laws are even stricter. By the time you get the permission, ha a long shot, the swarm
season is already over. Might as well set traps in your own yard.


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## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

This was an issue back was I was trapping. Trying to find places to hang traps was a pain. Not to mention checking on them every other day or so. Too much time and fuel for me.
Craigslist is your friend. I end up getting at least two dozen swarm calls every year through Craigslist. No fuss, no checking, no additional time, no swarm trap boxes.


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## BadBeeKeeper (Jan 24, 2015)

Personally, I am disinclined to place swarm traps outside of my yard. I am semi-isolated and over the last several years I think I may have managed to reduce my varroa levels to where they are more easily managed, if not entirely eradicated. I have been reasonably successful at learning to make increase from my own hives, and I see little need to go out searching for other bees to bring in, which may have the potential to increase disease/parasites. I am not against treating my bees if they need it, but it takes time, effort and money to do so. If I can avoid those expenditures, I would prefer to direct my efforts in a more profitable manner.


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## jadebees (May 9, 2013)

It is easier to get forgiven, (or castigated) and move it, than to get permission to place traps. Some camoflage paint makes them unlikely to be found. 
The most important thing is " outa sight, outa mind" . 

Nobody expects a swarm lure. Since camoflaging the boxes and strictly "not ask no tell" I have not lost 1 box to theft. None have been tampered with. I never saw a footprint. No one has said anything. But they are all placed in remote places discretely and hidden.

Even where I had permission at my friends home, his entire family was blissfully un aware there was 2 colonies 100 feet from the front door. But when his sweet gentle wife found out they had to move "TODAY! Get them OUT of here! WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?"
Sorry. I was channelling his meek gentle wife for a sec there. 

You will have more problems involving people than just ieaving them out of it.


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## Charlie B (May 20, 2011)

BadBeeKeeper said:


> Personally, I am disinclined to place swarm traps outside of my yard. I am semi-isolated and over the last several years I think I may have managed to reduce my varroa levels to where they are more easily managed, if not entirely eradicated.


If you place swarm traps inside your yard, you're going to attract swarms from outside your yard so I'm not sure what your talking about?:scratch:


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## MichiganMike (Mar 25, 2014)

jadebees said:


> It is easier to get forgiven, (or castigated) and move it, than to get permission to place traps. Some camoflage paint makes them unlikely to be found.
> The most important thing is " outa sight, outa mind" .
> 
> Nobody expects a swarm lure. Since camoflaging the boxes and strictly "not ask no tell" I have not lost 1 box to theft. None have been tampered with. I never saw a footprint. No one has said anything. But they are all placed in remote places discretely and hidden.
> ...


:thumbsup:


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## BadBeeKeeper (Jan 24, 2015)

Charlie B said:


> If you place swarm traps inside your yard, you're going to attract swarms from outside your yard so I'm not sure what your talking about?:scratch:


There are no other beekeepers near me. While I would not care to claim that it is impossible that a swarm might travel the miles between me and the closest other beekeepers, I do not consider it particularly likely. Thus, when I catch a swarm, it is most likely one of my own...actually, I have never got one in a bait hive, they always make me drag them out of the trees.


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## Charlie B (May 20, 2011)

BadBeeKeeper said:


> There are no other beekeepers near me. While I would not care to claim that it is impossible that a swarm might travel the miles between me and the closest other beekeepers, I do not consider it particularly likely. Thus, when I catch a swarm, it is most likely one of my own...actually, I have never got one in a bait hive, they always make me drag them out of the trees.


So you know for sure there are no feral hives near you either? If your placing swarm traps in your yard to catch your own swarms you're waisting your time. They like to travel a bit before choosing a new home.


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

Charlie B said:


> So you know for sure there are no feral hives near you either? If your placing swarm traps in your yard to catch your own swarms you're waisting your time. They like to travel a bit before choosing a new home.


I shouldn't qualify the statement of a beekeeper as renown as Charlie but.....last year I did not expand a caught bait swarm fast enough.....and after a few weeks I witnessed it swarm about 40' into a similar box in the yard.


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## Charlie B (May 20, 2011)

odfrank said:


> I shouldn't qualify the statement of a beekeeper as renown as Charlie but.....last year I did not expand a caught bait swarm fast enough.....and after a few weeks I witnessed it swarm about 40' into a similar box in the yard.


You probably were just seeing things from your giddiness over Michael Bush complimenting you on your BB trees.


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## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

Charlie B said:


> So you know for sure there are no feral hives near you either? If your placing swarm traps in your yard to catch your own swarms you're waisting your time. They like to travel a bit before choosing a new home.


Not so sure on this statement Charlie.
In two of my outyards I had 1 swarm move 12" into the next empty hive and two swarms land in a tree within 10 yards of the hive it came from. How do I know this to be true? Seen it with my own eyes because I was there to split the hives, but they beat me to it. I always keep a hive or two empty in the apiary all year round for swarms or additional resources.


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## Charlie B (May 20, 2011)

Ok, I'm sure that it's happened before. I'm just saying that if you're counting on catching your own swarms on a regular basis by placing swarm traps in your own apiary, you're not going to be successful for the most part and to me, a waist of resources.


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## flyin-lowe (May 15, 2014)

So for all of you who just set swarms without asking, I'm assuming you wouldn't mind if you found someone else hanging swarm traps (or deer stands, or whatever....) on your property without your permission????


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## MichiganMike (Mar 25, 2014)

flyin-lowe said:


> So for all of you who just set swarms without asking, I'm assuming you wouldn't mind if you found someone else hanging swarm traps (or deer stands, or whatever....) on your property without your permission????


I was refering to State forest, not private land the OP was asking about State land. You need to work on your own manners Not mine.


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## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

MichiganMike said:


> I was refering to State forest, not private land the OP was asking about State land. You need to work on your own manners Not mine.


A little testy there Mike? No need for that. Let's all BEEhave. lol


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