# Swarm Trap in Dallas, TX



## John Davis (Apr 29, 2014)

Wait a couple days.
If they start bringing in pollen they decided to stay.
Depending on what is inside the trap they may be festooned inside building comb.


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## PearlRider (Mar 14, 2015)

The inside is just empty space. I have some wooden comb guides on the Top Bars, but that's it. It's been a bit rainy as of late, so the bars are squeezed in there pretty tight. I'm going back out today to check up on them. 

Here's a link to the rough plans of my trap. http://i.imgur.com/6qk55mP.png

Thanks for the reply!


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## gezellig (Jun 11, 2014)

I would imagine they are inside. If there are bees on the outside then it's most certain they are inside. In the pic it appears cloudy, so bees wouldn't have been foraging as much.


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## PearlRider (Mar 14, 2015)

gezellig said:


> In the pic it appears cloudy, so bees wouldn't have been foraging as much.


It was cloudy, and there had been scattered little storms all day. When I saw the swarm I was worried for them because there were a few drops coming down, but they were clustered up pretty good under the overhang I had left on the front of the trap. 

Thanks for the reply!


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## gezellig (Jun 11, 2014)

If you don't want to open just yet, put a stethoscope to the side and listen


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## PearlRider (Mar 14, 2015)

Went by this morning really early. Looks like the same handful of bees were clumped up on the front. i lifted the bars and didn't hear or feel the swarm. I think they moved on


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## rsderrick (May 7, 2006)

Did you use a swarm lure?


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## PearlRider (Mar 14, 2015)

rsderrick said:


> Did you use a swarm lure?


I used lemongrass oil as that's all I had readily available. I'm still hopeful that the box will catch a swarm because it's at least being noticed by the bees. I need to put a few more out in the same area just in case there's something they just don't like about this box.


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## PearlRider (Mar 14, 2015)

Went back out yesterday and found a good amount of activity.

Didn't get any great pictures, but I did snag a short video.
https://youtu.be/wLwZgd6r6_8

Just need to go build the hive now. 

Weather permitting I'm going to go back out after work and try to get some better video.


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## PearlRider (Mar 14, 2015)

I went out the day after, and found a big old beard hanging beneath my trap. We had strong thunderstorms that night and I went out this morning to find them still under the trap. 

I have a second trap in the area, so hopefully they pick one of those. Here are some videos.

https://youtu.be/c_nfqtSlx5k

https://youtu.be/c_nfqtSlx5k


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## gezellig (Jun 11, 2014)

Why don't you place them in a box? In the videos I saw scouts doing the waggle dances to communicate a new home so it doesn't appear they're going in the trap.


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## Jcarlton (Jun 22, 2014)

Yep, better get that swarm in a box with a frame of brood if you can obtain one.


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## PearlRider (Mar 14, 2015)

My gear is in the mail now, once it comes in I'll be ready to capture swarms. I checked out my second trap in the area and saw bees checking it out, so I have some some hope that they're going to the other box. 

Can you point out timestamps for the waggle dances so I can better spot them in the future? Thanks!


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## JRG13 (May 11, 2012)

Why don't you just grab your other trap and knock the bees into it?


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## Jcarlton (Jun 22, 2014)

^what he said


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## PearlRider (Mar 14, 2015)

Next one I'll do just that. I'm just starting out, and in highsight, I should have just grabbed a mesh bag as a temporary veil and shook the swarm. That'll be written in my memoirs as the first of my mistakes while beekeeping, haha. 

There is a lot of activity at my second trap, but I didn't see pollen. So i'll be going to check that box periodically for a swarm hanging off of it.


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## PearlRider (Mar 14, 2015)

Here's a link to a video of my other swarm trap in the area. I saw a lot of coming and going. There were also quite a few drones coming and going (time was about 4:30 pm) I had never heard mentions of drone activity in swarms, is my observation normal?

I tried to listen at the trap for hive noise, but couldn't make it out over the buzzing of the outside bees and all the other wildlife. 

https://youtu.be/3w3G6f6r0xU


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