# How do you swap out old comb used in a swarm trap?



## Spur9 (Sep 13, 2016)

So you put 5 frames of old brood comb in a swarm trap and BOOM, you catch a swarm. For your new hive, you want to start them off with clean comb = foundation to draw. I would think that the queen has already started laying in the old comb and you are stuck with it for the time being. What do you do to get them off the old comb.


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## Buzz-kill (Aug 23, 2017)

Only put one frame of comb in the swarm trap. Then everything else they build is new.


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## Eikel (Mar 12, 2014)

+1 A single comb is sufficient to make it smell like home with a place for stores and eggs immediately. Cycle that single comb to the sides and out over time if you have a mind too, no need to hurry though.


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## gww (Feb 14, 2015)

If you run two boxes over winter, make sure the old comb is in the bottom box and maby come febuary when many normally rotate the boxes to help with swarming the bottom box might be empty and you can rotate out the old comb then. 

I don't know much and this is just an ideal.
Cheers
gww


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## JWPalmer (May 1, 2017)

Spur1, according to your profile, this is just your second year keeping bees. The comb isn't old enough to worry about yet. Mark your frames for the year they were drawn and rotate them out after 4 or 5 years. A purchased nuc you want off the original comb fast cause you don't know how old it is and it is how breeders get rid of their old comb. I do like buzz kill in a swarm trap, one drawn (and the rest foundationless). Nucs and splits get fresh foundation.


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## gator75 (Apr 21, 2021)

I only have a freshly harvested honey frame. Will that work in place of a brood frame or should I just go with waxed foundation combined with the foundationless frames?


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## mtnmyke (Apr 27, 2017)

gator75 said:


> I only have a freshly harvested honey frame. Will that work in place of a brood frame?


No. You need comb that was used for brood which contains brood casings and smells that make a hive feel like "home". Extracted honey frames most likely have never had brood in them. If they have, then it should work, but swarms seem to be mostly attracted to really old, dark, nasty brood comb.


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## gator75 (Apr 21, 2021)

I don't have access to that, so I guess waxed foundation is better than honey comb?


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## mtnmyke (Apr 27, 2017)

gator75 said:


> I don't have access to that, so I guess waxed foundation is better than honey comb?


Whatever you have is best. If you have a hive you could scrape off some propolis and melt that on the bottom or top of the trap. Anything that smells like bees is better than nothing.


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## GregB (Dec 26, 2017)

Spur9 said:


> What do you do to get them off the old comb.


You set the old combs as far away from the entrances as you can - this is how gradually take them out of rotation.
Of course, if you just now realized the issue on hand (your old combs are still IN rotation), it is kinda too late for swarm trapping.
This is an ongoing process, not a quick deal.


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## 123989 (Jul 30, 2018)

Old brood comb helps but you can catch them without it. Just put some swarm commander in the box.


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## Gray Goose (Sep 4, 2018)

Spur9 said:


> So you put 5 frames of old brood comb in a swarm trap and BOOM, you catch a swarm. For your new hive, you want to start them off with clean comb = foundation to draw. I would think that the queen has already started laying in the old comb and you are stuck with it for the time being. What do you do to get them off the old comb.


why do you want to get rid of it?
I just leave it with them
How old? +8 years + 3 years

In general add to the top and in the spring the bottom box is likely empty and can be removed, At least that is what I try to do.

GG


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