# "Blind" trapping



## tdsiders (Jan 30, 2013)

I am catching swarms in areas that in the middle of nowhere and the landowners don't know of any beekeepers anywhere near. You might just get surprised. I'm on number 15 now.
Good luck.


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## Harley Craig (Sep 18, 2012)

I'm doing a trapout in. Guys wall and the closest neigbbor is 1.5 miles away and the closest beekeeper is apx 12 miles away so I would say there are a few out there


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

> I can't remember the last time I saw a wild/feral hive. 

I see them all the time... they are the ones I hope to catch. Yes, I would put up traps. The bees will surprise you.


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## Brad Bee (Apr 15, 2013)

Okay, guess I'll give it a try. Do you guys just use a Nuc baited with LGO?


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## Grant (Jun 12, 2004)

Several years ago, Hurrican Ike swung up through the gulf of Mexico, swept over Texas and blew right over the bootheel of Missouri. Dozens of stately old trees were wiped in the city of Cape Girardeau. The homeowners called me and pretty much all said, "We had a tree do down last night and the bees moved in...even built comb you can see where the tree split. You need to come get them before the tree trimmers clean up the mess."

I suggested the bees had already been there, but they said, "No way. We never, ever saw a bee in the yard."

Long story short, by the time the insurance adjusters came to authorize the tree trimmer's work, the small hive beetles moved in and decimated most of these bee trees.

I'd put up the traps...kind of like fishing. Who would say, "Don't put out the bait, there's no fish in that lake!"

There are many tips in this resource for trapping ferals: https://www.createspace.com/4106626


Grant
Jackson, MO


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## Brad Bee (Apr 15, 2013)

Thanks for the reply.


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## hilreal (Aug 16, 2005)

Same in Fort Wayne. Bad storm last fall and our phone was ringing off the hook with bee trees that no one knew were around. Trick is finding someone to allow you to leave an empty box on their property to catch 10,000 stinging bugs. Take a jar of honey along.


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## wadehump (Sep 30, 2007)

I have 18 hives of feral bees . swarms / cut outs and traps


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## David LaFerney (Jan 14, 2009)

You know that swarms will give preference to a previously used cavity. In an area where there are not many colonies there probably aren't many previosly used cavities either - so your swarm trap may be the most attractive digs for miles around whenever a swarm does pass through. You are also probably more likely to get a swarm from a colony that has been on it's own for a while instead of just from a second spring beekeeper. 

I just made that up, but it sounds pretty good.


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## Brad Bee (Apr 15, 2013)

David LaFerney said:


> I just made that up, but it sounds pretty good.


I agree! :thumbsup:


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## Ruthz (Sep 13, 2011)

I have put up six swarm traps this year, two old nucs that have been lived in before. The other four with old comb and LGO. I have read all of odfranks suggestions, but haven't caught a bee yet. Any ideas what I might be doing wrong? There are plenty of beekeepers around, but it has been a bad year. Any ideas would be appreciated.


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## shannonswyatt (May 7, 2012)

Ruthz, you are north of me, so my guess is that there have been very swarms so far this year. We are now just getting cranked up into spring. In the next two months the swarms will happen. If you have your traps out and are a little bit lucky you may get one.


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