# Swarm Traps - How often do you catch something else?



## Adam Foster Collins (Nov 4, 2009)

I'm wondering about what people are getting in their swarm traps - other than honeybees.

Do you get wasps? Bumblebees? Other things?

What other things have you gotten in there, and what steps can be taken to minimize other types of creatures taking up residence in a swarm trap?

Thanks,

Adam


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## DavesBees (Jun 2, 2009)

I put hardware cloth over the entrance and that seems to work well. I put the hardware cloth on the inside so the bees can get in the hole before encountering the wire. It is the 4 holes per square inch or ¼ inch hole stuff.


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

I for the first time got a good case of wax moth damage, in a small cell bait hive. Never any thing else besides ants.


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## LtlWilli (Mar 11, 2008)

I, too, have reared hives of wax moth and ants---not a very rewarding experience. Those things work out fine, though. More work and good time spent among the hives is not a bad thing.
LtlWilli


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## KQ6AR (May 13, 2008)

I've had wasps start building paper comb in them, & mud nests for the queen wasp to over winter in.


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## Adam Foster Collins (Nov 4, 2009)

Does the threat of wax moths outweigh the perceived value of having drawn comb in a bait hive? I feel like it's better to have it than not...

Adam


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

You need drawn comb. This is the first time i have had early moth damage.


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## beyondthesidewalks (Dec 1, 2007)

I've caught 4 swarms so far this year, several in previous years. No black comb (you don't need it and it just attracts moths). No unwanted catches (of other critters/bugs). I have hardware cloth on the entrance to prevent critters. I only use LGO for attractant with much success. It's the least expensive and easily stored/available option. Tried commercial attractant and QMP with similar success but not necessarily better. I've found the best swarm trap is one that has already succeeded in catching a swarm. I had a nuc swarm trap on my side porch over the weekend, waiting for me to put new frames in it after a successful trapping. Bees moved in Saturday morning with no frames. I slid the lid to the side, wide enough to insert one frame at a time and inserted frames. Now I need to move them to another beeyard to move them back home. Woefully behind in placing traps this year but if I had more traps out, I'd catch more bees. Kind of like fishing. Wish I had time for fishing.


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## rpeters (Mar 28, 2011)

beyondthesidewalks said:


> I only use LGO for attractant with much success.


What is LGO?


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## Benthic (May 1, 2011)

rpeters said:


> What is LGO?


I'm going to guess that LGO = Lemon Grass Oil.

Brian


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## DavesBees (Jun 2, 2009)

This may not be helpful depending on the season in other areas. I have used the “swarm in July isn’t worth a fly” rule and take down my bait hives by 4th of July. That gets me in ahead of the wax moths here in Ohio and June is our best month anyway. I like to use the darkest, smelliest, oldest comb I can find but remember I’m quitting early. If I decided to leave them out a little longer then I could freeze the wax worms if they got in. I also use LGO at the entrance and a couple of drops in the hive. I hang the Nasonov pheromone (most supply catalogues have them) just above the entrance on the inside. We are picking up a new colony tomorrow that has moved into a bait hive that I built and gave to a friend. These are his bees but he wants me to help as it is his first capture.


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## Ryan Elder (May 23, 2011)

I have been reading about people getting wasps and hornets in their swarm traps and have been thinking "How do get rid of these things without a spray of some kind?" I'm totally against using chemicals and stuff like that so, how do you remove them?


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## KQ6AR (May 13, 2008)

For the wasps I just take the lid off, & spray them with the garden hose. They leave, & look for a better home. Leave the lid off.


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## kbenz (Feb 17, 2010)

had a nest of japanese hornets once. think thats what they where any way. big ***** things, bout 3 inches long


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## beyondthesidewalks (Dec 1, 2007)

Benthic said:


> I'm going to guess that LGO = Lemon Grass Oil.


That's a very good and very accurate guess.


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## beyondthesidewalks (Dec 1, 2007)

This year has been very strange for swarming behavior. We were very dry during March and April and had very little swarming diuring our normal swarming months. Suddenly we had a few weeks of rainy weather in May and the flood gates opened up. I've caught six swarms now in the last few weeks. Just got one out of a water meter this evening. This year I'm going to leave my swarm traps out all summer and I intend to communal feed all winter to keep those late swarms alive. We actually have some flowering plants into winter and enough warm winter days here to feed all winter long. (winter three times in one sentence!)


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## delber (Dec 26, 2010)

I check my boxes about once a week. I had one where I found a small wasp nest inside so I then checked all of my other boxes. Nothing but a couple spiders in the others. How did I get rid of them? I had my gloves on and this one had attached itself to the inside front of the nuc box so I just took a couple frames out and squished them. Very easy. 

Kbwez, you didn't have Japanese Hornets. Thankfully they're not hear yet. You could have had European hornets, or bald face hornets, but not the Japanese ones. The Japanese ones are way, way, way, terrible!!!


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## LtlWilli (Mar 11, 2008)

My Health food store told me lemon grass oil was discontinued. Imagine that!


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## dmpower (Nov 7, 2010)

Maybe the manufacturer that your health food store uses has discontinued manufacturing lemon grass oil, but if you do a net search you will still find it readily available.


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## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

I got ants in mine and decided to take it down and store because I thought it was too late. I see one guy posted from Ohio and claims June is the best month so maybe I will put it back up. If I put a water moat around each leg of the stand will that keep the ants out?


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## delber (Dec 26, 2010)

We have a grocery store near us (Wegmans) that often has unique things. They had LGO for under $5.00. I obviously got some. I'd check around. The problem w/ online is you pay shipping which is often the same or more than the amt. you spend on the product. Even if I find a store that has it for a dollar more than I can get online I'll buy it. 
On another note. . . I plan on keeping my nuc boxes out until perhaps the end of July. I figure if there's a swarm that comes then I can add some honey for them to overwinter, or combine then w/ a weak hive that I may have. YOu can't beat free bees whenever they come!!!


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## KQ6AR (May 13, 2008)

Hope you're wrong about that. I don't think they are in the states, & they are some of the nastiest hornets I've ever seen. 
They can attack beehives, & win.



kbenz said:


> had a nest of japanese hornets once. think thats what they where any way. big ***** things, bout 3 inches long


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## Beethinking (Jun 2, 2008)

I've not caught anything but honey bees the last few years. I use no comb at all in my traps -- just a couple drops of lemongrass oil.

Cheers,
Matt


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## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

> YOu can't beat free bees whenever they come!!!


You convinced me. I put the trap back out in the yard with a moat around each leg of the stand.


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## kbenz (Feb 17, 2010)

delber said:


> Kbwez, you didn't have Japanese Hornets. Thankfully they're not hear yet. You could have had European hornets, or bald face hornets, but not the Japanese ones. The Japanese ones are way, way, way, terrible!!!


yer right, looked at some pics. think they were European hornets


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I get a lot of paper wasps and finches...


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