# Its that time of year for the Annual Ollie OD Frank swarmathon competition



## NCBeekeeper (Apr 4, 2013)

I think catching swarms may be the best part of beekeeping too me. Its such a thrill... I am at 10 this year all ready. The last one was Saturday and I was driving down the road about 6pm about dusk and my wife shouted " We just passed a Swarm of bees." I really doubted she saw bee's on the other side of the road with me driving 65 MPH.... Well it was almost dark when I finished, but we got them bees.


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## DRAKOS (Oct 17, 2011)

I think, the competition refers to swarms moving in to bait hives.


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## NCBeekeeper (Apr 4, 2013)

Yeah. I sort of figured that. I just got carried away with my last swarm I found.


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

How do I cash in on all of these competitions named after me? It seems to be a slow year here for bait hives. I might get beaten this time around.


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## gmcharlie (May 9, 2009)

Just curious whats the average number???


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## mtndewluvr (Oct 28, 2012)

I think if you fill 50 bait hives...you're starting to get close.


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## KQ6AR (May 13, 2008)

Didn't you trap over 35 last year OD?
The competition was swarm traps only last year.


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## BayHighlandBees (Feb 13, 2012)

whats the number to beat so far, OD?


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

What is important is not how big you make it, but how you make it big!


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

Slow or late season. I only have twelve so far.


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## KQ6AR (May 13, 2008)

You're ahead of my ONE.


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## Dconrad (Jul 3, 2012)

well I am puling the hind wagon for sure 20 traps out and not a single taker..........may still be a little early, will see 

DC


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## LeslieHamilton (Apr 23, 2013)

This is my first year to try trapping a swarm. I built 5 traps and baited them with a vial of lure and a few drops of LGO. They are basically over sized deep 8 frame hives. I used untrimmed 1x12's. At the time I didn't have the ability to do rabbets, so I just used cross-pieces to hang the frames on. I've since got a router table, and hope to build a couple hive boxes this weekend.

Here's some pics of the boxes I've built so far.
http://http://pinterest.com/survivalbrewing/beekeeping/


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## pedrocr (Jun 5, 2012)

Put four traps out this year and one just got moved in. It happened to be the one next to the solar wax melter, and there's always a couple of bees around attracted by the smell of the wax. I'll be doubling down on that particular approach of having a trap next to the melter.


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## enchplant (Apr 10, 2011)

Put out 7. Colonies in 3. Comb built outside one.


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## DRAKOS (Oct 17, 2011)

I have put 21 traps for this year. From April 6 till today, I have caught 11 swarms.
One month still to go.


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

The link to photos in _LeslieHamilton's _post #14 is malformed and doesn't work. Here is a corrected link:
http://pinterest.com/survivalbrewing/beekeeping/

There is a photo of an interesting "bee float" for a 5 gallon bucket at that link.


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## LeslieHamilton (Apr 23, 2013)

Rader Sidetrack said:


> The link to photos in _LeslieHamilton's _post #14 is malformed and doesn't work. Here is a corrected link:
> http://pinterest.com/survivalbrewing/beekeeping/
> 
> There is a photo of an interesting "bee float" for a 5 gallon bucket at that link.


 A malformed link! That doesn't sound good!


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

Leslie, you have about 24 hours to edit your post if you choose to fix the link you posted. Note that your link has dual "http://" sections. That is why it doesn't work. Look for the "Edit Post" button at your original post.

If I just called it a "Bad link", then there might be confusion as to whether the URL itself was "bad" or the content at the link was "bad". :lookout:


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## LeslieHamilton (Apr 23, 2013)

Thanks Graham. There was no edit link so the 24 hours must be up. That was the first time I tried to post a link, next time i'll pay closer attention!


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## Charlie B (May 20, 2011)

We need a David to stand up to Ollie the Goliath, although he's resorted to buying packages this year. Maybe this is a good season to take him on!


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## Charlie B (May 20, 2011)

odfrank said:


> What is important is not how big you make it, but how you make it big!


Thanks Dad!


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## btmurph (Aug 7, 2011)

Charlie B said:


> We need a David to stand up to Ollie the Goliath, although he's resorted to buying packages this year. Maybe this is a good season to take him on!


What if it's done by percentage of success? How many traps does Ollie put out again?


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## Charlie B (May 20, 2011)

btmurph said:


> What if it's done by percentage of success? How many traps does Ollie put out again?


You have to understand that Ollie is not a normal person. He's obsessive/compulsive when it comes to anything that's free. His utter cheapness is his strenght. He once surrounded my SF apiary with what must of been 20 to 30 traps.

I would bet he puts out at least 100 traps every spring.


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

Charlie B said:


> You have to understand that Ollie is not a normal person. He's obsessive/compulsive when it comes to anything that's free. His utter cheapness is his strenght. He once surrounded my SF apiary with what must of been 20 to 30 traps.I would bet he puts out at least 100 traps every spring.


You have to understand that Charlie is delusional. His crazy delusions are his strength. I have been placing one swarm trap one mile from his house for years before he even started keeping bees, just to try and catch a swarm in the middle of the big city. I put out less than 50 traps a year. I have caught about 15 this year down from 50 years past. But the season is far from over.


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## Charlie B (May 20, 2011)

I don't need a fancy bait box to catch swarms. I just use wax coated cardboard from Mann Lake.


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

I am up to 26 to date, it's been an off year. Had some real nice ones though, can't complain about the quality. That is the bait hive count, plus several nice swarms.


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## Cleo C. Hogan Jr (Feb 27, 2010)

Charlie, you and odfrank, pick at each other like identical twins with different mothers.

I have only caugt 8 this year, only two in swarm boxes. I have about 20 out this year. Of the 20 I would hope to catch maybe 6 to 8. We haven't had very much swarming so far. Been cool and rainy, bees have not built up enough. I look for June to be better this year.

cchoganjr


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## KQ6AR (May 13, 2008)

More like the red headed step child. 
Its been a slow swarm year here, only caught 3 swarms, only one was trapped.


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

KQ6AR said:


> Its been a slow swarm year here, only caught 3 swarms, only one was trapped.


There seem to be plenty of swarms, but less bait hive catches.


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## Charlie B (May 20, 2011)

The bait swarms I've caught so far, (only 5) are good large swarms though rather than those tiny virgin queen swarms caught this time last year. I'm using all 10 frame deeps for swarms traps this year because Uncle Ollie said that's what to use. 

I've noticed that swarm season here got off to a late start too.


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## mtndewluvr (Oct 28, 2012)

Slow start in Salt Lake City. 25 bait hives out. In the last couple of weeks I've got 6 swarm catches and one bait hive catch.


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## DRAKOS (Oct 17, 2011)

Here in Athens, end of swarm season. 19 swarms in bait hives. Ten of them really huge.


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

Charlie B said:


> because Uncle Ollie said that's what to use. .


Now there is a poor misguided soul.


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## BayHighlandBees (Feb 13, 2012)

that sounds pretty fancy compared to some of the contraptions posted on here 



Charlie B said:


> I don't need a fancy bait box to catch swarms. I just use wax coated cardboard from Mann Lake.
> 
> View attachment 5663
> View attachment 5664


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## Charlie B (May 20, 2011)

I feel sorry for Ollie. He finally spends a little money and makes some decent looking bait boxes with his cute little wheel openings and now he's only caught a third of what he did last year. Go back to using those green WWI ammo crates Ollie!


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## G'ville beek (Jul 2, 2012)

I am up to 4, no traps were placed anywhere, Had to place trap out for 2, removed one from chimney, and had a swarm today, in a tree beside my house, I was walking back from checking the bees, and heard them, looked up and low and behold, grabbed ladder,hand saw, and within about 1/2 hour, had about 5 lb. or more bees in a deep, bees wall to wall. No this was not one of my hives, but has joined the yard now, as long as they stay and enjoy the summer.


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## bevy's honeybees (Apr 21, 2011)

I got 4, almost 5 but one swarm hung underneath the bait box so I had to brush them into the box. I still have a couple boxes out.


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

>but one swarm hung underneath the bait box so I had to brush them into the box.

We will count that one as a valid catch.


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## bevy's honeybees (Apr 21, 2011)

Thank you odfrank. I'm glad you are the rulemaker for this contest.


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## Charlie B (May 20, 2011)

bevy's honeybees said:


> Thank you odfrank. I'm glad you are the rulemaker for this contest.


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## cerezha (Oct 11, 2011)

Rader Sidetrack said:


> The link to photos... is * malformed *...


 I love it! Feels somehow material for so immaterial "virtual link"


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

bevy's honeybees said:


> Thank you odfrank. I'm glad you are the rulemaker for this contest.


Actually Andrew started this thread and I can see that Charlie is squirming, so I apologize for taking charge. Andrew, please rule on Bev's catch.


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## G-Man (Jun 1, 2013)

I cought my first swarms two weeks ago. Yeah! I have eight nuc boxes spread out on our property in Gilroy. Checking the furthest box I noticed a bunch of activity at the entrance. I went back after dark and put a piece of duct tape over the entrance. Easy as pie, didn't even need to suit up. The next day when I went to re-set the box I noticed a grapefruit sized swarm in the same tree. The didn't even wait for me to get the box out of the truck before they started to investigate. I left the 2nd box out for the day and retieved it the 2nd night. I dumped the 2nd swarm on top of the first.

I inspected the swarm today and they have two frames of comb drawn so I moved them to a 10 frame deep. They look like they are going to be a real strong hive.

Can't wait for the next one.


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