# need info on swarm traps



## BjornBee (Feb 7, 2003)

Pembroke,

I think the best book on swarming, and for the price, is the book from Root publications called "swarming" item # X56. You can call 1-800-289-7668. it costs 5 dollars and that includes shipping.

It covers items of everything you asked as well as about a hundred others. It also makes you think about why bees prefer lower entrances, smaller cavity sizes, and other interesting points.

Someone posted a web address for ordering, but I'd just pick up the phone and order. you will be glad you did.....


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## BjornBee (Feb 7, 2003)

To answer your questions.....

Bees in studies usually chose traps within 300 meters. (But we know they will sometimes go 10 feet)

Something like 8 to 10 feet high is preferred. (But we know thats sometimes a pain to do.)

Bees likes southern facing entrances, but also preferred shade. Bees will leave a swarm trap the first day if the sun creates too much heat.


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## naturebee (Dec 25, 2004)

BjornBee said:


> To answer your questions.....
> 
> Bees in studies usually chose traps within 300 meters. (But we know they will sometimes go 10 feet)



I think its a bit further than 300 meters.

(Lindauer 1955, Seeley Morse 1977)
Nest sites chosen by 13 swarms studied had a median distance of about 900 m, and few swarms selected sites beyond 1500 m or closer than 300 m. 

Joe
Feralbeeproject.com


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## BjornBee (Feb 7, 2003)

naturebee said:


> I think its a bit further than 300 meters.
> 
> (Lindauer 1955, Seeley Morse 1977)
> Nest sites chosen by 13 swarms studied had a median distance of about 900 m, and few swarms selected sites beyond 1500 m or closer than 300 m.
> ...


I think the actual numbers to the study, and what was used in Dewey Caron's book showed of 34 swarms studied...

0 to 300 meters.. 1
300 to 600 meters.. 12
600 to 900 meters.. 6
900 to 1200 meters.. 4
1200 to 1500.. 4
1500 to 1800 meters.. 3
18oo to 2100 meters.. 0
2100 to 2400 meters.. 0
2400 to 2700.. 1
2700 to 2900 meters.. 2
2900 to 3300 meters.. 1
3300 to 4200 meters.. 0
4200 to 4500 meters.. 1

I went by memory, and knew 300 was something that came to me. I would think that 300 to 600 would be best. ....


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## Aisha (May 2, 2007)

There are 402 meters in 1/4 mile so basically the like to swarm 1/4 to 1/2 mile away. 

I put a swarm trap 7 feet up in a Palo Verde tree today...about 20 yards from my main hive today. Hopefully, my girls don't swarm at all, and I catch a swarm from the beek near me who has black honeybees.


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## naturebee (Dec 25, 2004)

BjornBee said:


> I think the actual numbers to the study, and what was used in Dewey Caron's book showed of 34 swarms studied...



Oh, sorry for the typo there bjorn. 
As long as the poster gleaned the essential info:
"median distance of about 900 m, and few swarms selected sites beyond 1500 m or closer than 300 m. "
they’ll be off to a good start.


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## BjornBee (Feb 7, 2003)

naturebee said:


> Oh, sorry for the typo there bjorn.
> As long as the poster gleaned the essential info:
> "median distance of about 900 m, and few swarms selected sites beyond 1500 m or closer than 300 m. "
> they’ll be off to a good start.



No, No, No! It was my fault. I said "within" 300 meters (off the top of my head), and you suggested a longer distance, which in fact was correct.


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## Ronnie Elliott (Mar 24, 2004)

I put out seven swarm traps, 8-9 feet into a tree, facing South all over the county that I travel frequently. If I catch a swarm there, I repeat that same location every year. If I don't I try another different location. Try to find a beekeeper that polinates for a fee, and put traps south of his bee yard. Some of these beekeepers don't have the time to mess with swarms. Unfortunately for me, the local beekeepers that do this are in parts of the county I don't regularly travel. It's all a hit, and a miss.


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## Chef Isaac (Jul 26, 2004)

Joe and bjorn:

Are smaller entrances prefered? If using a deep as a trap, can the entrance be the regular length of the hive? Or should it be smaller?


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## BjornBee (Feb 7, 2003)

Chef Isaac said:


> Joe and bjorn:
> 
> Are smaller entrances prefered? If using a deep as a trap, can the entrance be the regular length of the hive? Or should it be smaller?


Yes, smaller entrances are preferred. I think most of mine are 1 inch holes.


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## kbee (Mar 6, 2005)

I agree with Ronnie. I have locations where I catch a swarm year after year. Also after you catch one swarm put another trap in it's place. Good locations can keep producing.


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## Docking (Mar 13, 2008)

hey, new beek here... 1st year.. I have just removed some bees from an old water tank. My question is... can I replace the ond on the tank and use it for a swarm trap? It has 2 holes in it. one would be about 1 inch and the other will be 2 inches. Do I plug the 2 inch hole and leave the 1 inch?


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## Chef Isaac (Jul 26, 2004)

thanks bjorn!


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## pembroke (Apr 17, 2006)

thanks for all the replys and info. Pembroke


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## naturebee (Dec 25, 2004)

Chef Isaac said:


> Joe and bjorn:
> 
> Are smaller entrances prefered? If using a deep as a trap, can the entrance be the regular length of the hive? Or should it be smaller?



Hello Isaac,

I would not let the entrance to length. I would reduce it to perhaps to something near to one inch in total area.

Here I used a card board box to catch a swarm.
Square hole cut and folded in:
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n237/FeralBeeProject/Trapping Feral Swarms/DCP_0563.jpg
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n237/FeralBeeProject/Trapping Feral Swarms/DCP_0567.jpg

But there is a secret to its effectiveness. Perhaps bees can detect wall thickness, because simply by throwing a carpet over the box, increases its success. 

I love most using speaker enclosures for traps:
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n237/FeralBeeProject/Trapping Feral Swarms/DCP_1520.jpg
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n237/FeralBeeProject/Trapping Feral Swarms/SpeakerSwarmTrap.jpg
I don’t know why but the woodland ferals go for them
quite well. I only get one season or two out of them
because the weather beats them up. 

Footlockers are fun to use, snap the lock closed and your off:
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/...Trapping Feral Swarms/FootlockerSwarmTrap.jpg

Footlocker trap is fitted with removable starter board:
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n237/FeralBeeProject/Trapping Feral Swarms/StarterStripBoard.jpg

Here, I always store a trap near to where I extract honey.
When placing traps, I think of Lindauer’s observations of 
‘house-hunting bees being former foragers‘. So scouts 
being former foragers are well aware of its location in advance,
and I got 2 here last season, here’s one of them:
http://s113.photobucket.com/albums/n237/FeralBeeProject/?action=view&current=DCP_1956.jpg
Queen entering:
http://s113.photobucket.com/albums/n237/FeralBeeProject/?action=view&current=DCP_1959.jpg

Old gums once holding bees are great for attracting
swarms, and heres one such swarm entering a gum I also
keep near the house, with lure inside.
http://s113.photobucket.com/albums/n237/FeralBeeProject/?action=view&current=dac2.jpg


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## SWMBees (Jul 26, 2017)

I had a swarm settle not 30 feet from the host hive last year. Happily I reclaimed it. This year I had a hive swarm, and while I didn't catch it, I found it had ultimately made its new home in a home-made wood duck house - not 50 yards from the host hive.
Yeasterday I noticed thousands of bees flying in random circles around the hives in an area about 30 feet high and 30 feet round. It was gone in about 45 minutes. I searched all trees within 100 yards looking for a swarm and found nothing. Was my observation yesterday of bees a swarm forming, or something else?


BjornBee said:


> To answer your questions.....
> 
> Bees in studies usually chose traps within 300 meters. (But we know they will sometimes go 10 feet)
> 
> ...


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## papa bear (Nov 1, 2005)

One of the things to the trap is to make it inviting. I have seen swarms take over inactive hive, and even stored supers.
One of the biggest things is smell. Ihave used honey and lemon grass mixtures. Everybody know the unpredictability of swarms. Sometime it works sometime it don't


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## aunt betty (May 4, 2015)

Have my traps located about 50 yards from stands of my own bees. They're up about 8 feet high sitting on deer stands attached to trees they tend to light on. Drawn combs with swarm commander.
One day a swarm was up in the pear tree. Was wondering why it hadn't tried the trap. Upon inspection found that another swarm was already in the trap. Ended up selling the tree swarm. 
It's just too easy when you got it right.


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