# How long to leave in the trap



## SouthTexasJohn (Mar 16, 2015)

I have a swarm that moved into one of my traps. How long should I leave them in there before I take them out and can I just hive them and set them with my other bees 150 yards away or do I have to move them 2 miles away?


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## S4 basics (Mar 15, 2014)

Do a search on that topic and you will get a lot of info. Short answer is that if you confine them after dark on a cool evening you can transfer them to a box in the morning wherever you want them. Confinement causes reorientation. Be careful to open them or transfer them promptly before the sun is up.


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## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

What is the trap set up like? Size, frames, drawn comb, etc. 
My traps (when I did trap) consist of two five frame medium nucs with drawn frames in the middle of each super and foundation in the rest. I could leave the bees for up to three weeks in this configuration, then move when they were established. From the nuc they were hived in ten frame supers. So easy.
Move them like S4 states.


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## SouthTexasJohn (Mar 16, 2015)

Trap is a 10 frame deep with 1 drawn comb and 4 frames of foundation all pushed to one side. There is a metal 4 way disc on the outside so I can close them up easily. Last year I collect several swarms off of trees but did not trap any. I guess that I will just give them until next weekend then move them.


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## GaryG74 (Apr 9, 2014)

I would think about getting more frames in there or you'll be doing a cut out. If you're going to move them into a hive real soon, it may not be critical. But they will build comb off the top of the trap (if they haven't started already), creating a mess. 

I always fill my traps with frames in case I can't get back for some reason so the bees have plenty of frames to build on. It makes things easier when transferring them to a hive.

Congratulations on the swarm capture.


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## jadebees (May 9, 2013)

Some of the swarms I caught in a hive box with frames, are going on 3 years, in the hive they moved into. Thats why I use hives if I have extra. Put in your frames, & just put them in your yard.


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## SouthTexasJohn (Mar 16, 2015)

Down here large swarms are very rare. The mesquite trees that they live in do not have large hollows so colonies are not too big. They are coming and going in high gear I guess gathering pollen and nectar so I will let them settle in and hive them next weekend. The trap has a 2X4 that is about 18 inches long screwed to the side then screwed to the tree. The shim block fell out in the storm last week so it is crooked but I guess the bees don't care. Last year I had no traps and I got 4 swarms off of tree limbs.


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## Hoot Owl Lane Bees (Feb 24, 2012)

If it is leaning you may want to move them sooner rather then later.
Comb hangs strait down no mater what angle the box is at.
You may already have a mess on your hands.


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## SouthTexasJohn (Mar 16, 2015)

Hoot Owl Lane Bees said:


> If it is leaning you may want to move them sooner rather then later.
> Comb hangs strait down no mater what angle the box is at.
> You may already have a mess on your hands.


You are correct. My buddy told me the same thing so early this morning I went and closed them in. When it got to about 60 degrees I took them down and hived them and put them in my bee yard here. They had not made a mess yet but in another week, they may have. They had three, 6-8 inch "spades" hanging from the inside of the cover. She had already had laid some eggs. They did not touch the frames. Hmmm.

I have another swarm in another trap. I will get to it tomorrow morning. Bees are moving.


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## SouthTexasJohn (Mar 16, 2015)

I hived another one this morning that I saw yesterday when I got home. This one had more bees. I might have to buy a lotto ticket.


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## IAmTheWaterbug (Jun 4, 2014)

SouthTexasJohn said:


> They had three, 6-8 inch "spades" hanging from the inside of the cover. She had already had laid some eggs. They did not touch the frames. Hmmm.


Were you able to save any of their fresh comb?

Photos, please!


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## SouthTexasJohn (Mar 16, 2015)

IAmTheWaterbug said:


> Were you able to save any of their fresh comb?
> 
> Photos, please!


They used the foundation and so they did not make any comb away from drawing out the foundation. It was too cool this morning to break them up and look for the queen or what they have done as far as comb.


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