# swarm trap placement



## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

Good questions.... place upwind from hives/wood lots with drawn comb. That's all the info needed.


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## Beregondo (Jun 21, 2011)

Transition areas, like where a woodlime borders a field are good.
Placed just far enough onto a woodline to be shaded is a plus.
15-20' off the ground is best, but it won't make too big a difference.if.it.is.only as high as your u can safely reach from the ground...many a swarm has moved into an empty hive sitting on the ground.

If all of this sounds a bit like fishing, that's because it is.

If you catch one,.get another trap up there as soon as you can...it's quite.common to catch several swarms in the same spot in the same season.

This guy catches quite a few, and shares what he learns:
http://letmbee.com/


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## Ctothea (Nov 10, 2014)

If you catch one,.get another trap up there as soon as you can...it's quite.common to catch several swarms in the same spot in the same season.

I did not know this I will use it if I catch a swarm.


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## PAHunter62 (Jan 26, 2011)

I agree with the other posts above. I place mine along farm field edges, and along edges of gas lines, _etc._ where I have permission to access.

I back my truck up to the tree and place where I can reach easily from the bed of my truck. I probably have them hung around 10-12 feet off the ground. Some examples below. I use one brood comb, and the rest foundationless frames, so I level the box side to side as you can see in the pictures.





























I too have caught multiple at the same location. Keep track of locations that are successful. One particular tree I've caught 5 or 6 swarms in in only 3 years.


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## WBVC (Apr 25, 2013)

What is the rachet strap hooked to on the back of the trap?


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## PAHunter62 (Jan 26, 2011)

I started hanging my traps with french cleat hangers. The ratchet strap is used to strap the hanger to the tree, no nails. Here is an example...















The swarm was building comb off the lid overhang. I ended up hiving them by lifting the trap off the hanger and tapping the bottom of the trap on the edge of a hive body with several middle frames removed.

By using the french cleat - if you have traps in the wings, lift off the captured swarm, replace with a new trap ... easy.


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## beefarmer (May 2, 2010)

I like the French cleat idea, but do they ever fall off from wind or anything ?


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## PAHunter62 (Jan 26, 2011)

I have not had them fall from wind, but a black bear knocked two down last year. I left them up too long and they built out some stores. I won't make that mistake again.


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## beefarmer (May 2, 2010)

PAHunter62, are the boards you made the cleat on 2x4, or 1x4 ? What kind of lid do you have, I am going to try and build a few of these, but thinking a lid like a tele. cover would hold the box out an angle away from the tree?


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## Harley Craig (Sep 18, 2012)

Plenty of good places to put them here in IL.  https://il.driftwatch.org/map


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## matrout76 (Feb 2, 2013)

PAHunter62 said:


> so I level the box side to side as you can see in the pictures.
> 
> View attachment 15835


What is your preferred method for shimming/adjusting the french cleat or boxes to make them level?

Thanks!


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## PAHunter62 (Jan 26, 2011)

beefarmer said:


> PAHunter62, are the boards you made the cleat on 2x4, or 1x4 ? What kind of lid do you have, I am going to try and build a few of these, but thinking a lid like a tele. cover would hold the box out an angle away from the tree?


The hanger can be made out of most any scrap material you have lying around. I used 3/4 plywood for the cleat itself. Ripped to 45%. I put several coats of thinned down titebond III on the exposed edges to they weather better. Underneath the cross-piece for the cleat, I add a 3/4 inch block to support the trap from wanting to tip inward. If you want, I'll find a hanger in the garage and post a better picture of it.

The lid is just 1/2 plywood wrapped with thin aluminum. I had a friend that worked at the local newspaper - the aluminum was the print plate material used to print the paper.



matrout76 said:


> What is your preferred method for shimming/adjusting the french cleat or boxes to make them level?


I try and find a good tree that it pretty plumb for starters. The more plumb the tree the less messing around you need to do. I end up using a stick and wedge it up behind the hanger if needed. In some cases, a second strap could be placed around the trap and tree to hold everything tight, but I have not had to do that.


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## Beardedbee1 (Feb 10, 2015)

That's like totally cool info dude. Thanks for sharing it on this forum


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## Knisely (Oct 26, 2013)

This is an inspiring set of posts. I think I need to consider this for my neck of the woods.


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## PAHunter62 (Jan 26, 2011)

The french cleat idea I picked up from this forum a while back. 

I had a one of my new hangers on the back porch, so I took a couple pictures.

*Back:*








The vertical pieces I get from my local Lowes in the back of the lumber section. They are the runners the banding straps go through on their shipments. Ask the Manager, they will let you grab some for free. They are usually in a mini dumpster inside the store at my local lowes.

You can see that I don't paint the cleat surface that will meet up with the trap cleat. It has several coats of thinned down titebond III glue to weather proof. I did not paint because it would end up sticking in the heat to the trap cleat. I rub the surface with some soap to keep them easy to remove.

The vertical dado that was in the runner when I picked them up ends up being nice for hanging - it will bite into the bark a little when the ratchet is tightened. It is also a place to jam a stick up in for leveling - will help hold it in place.


*Front:*








I cut a dado a little down from the top to run my ratchet strap through. The hanger is pretty short (11 inches tall) so it fits under the roof, then I don't need to worry about a little overhang. You can also see there is a block attached under the cross cleat - that supports the bottom of the trap.

If you are worried about strength, one of the original posters of this idea had a Youtube video where he tested how much weight before the bracket failed. He had close to 100 lbs of weight stacked on the roof before it gave way plus or minus a little - I forget and could not find the video tonight.

Good luck!


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## rsderrick (May 7, 2006)

You guys might want to try my new product Swarm Commander. It's an easy to use swarm lure that was created in a lab. We actually synthesised Nasanov. I just launched it last September so it's new but I am getting good reviews from it. You can find it at http://www.swarmcommander.com. I actually have a 2oz bottle on sale this month. Check it out!


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## Beregondo (Jun 21, 2011)

I understand the need for advertising, and actually read the sidebar ads in case something useful to me is being offered.

But spamming all the threads with the words "swarm trap" in them today is irritating and diminishes enjoyment (at least _my _enjoyment)of this forum.

Surely in the development and testing of your lure you've gained knowledge of _*something *_related to trap placement (the topic of the OP) that you could share?


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## Random Dude (Feb 25, 2015)

Beregondo said:


> .... spamming all the threads with the words "swarm trap" in them today is irritating and diminishes enjoyment (at least _my _enjoyment)of this forum.
> 
> Surely in the development and testing of your lure you've gained knowledge of _*something *_related to trap placement (the topic of the OP) that you could share?



Agree.


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## MichiganMike (Mar 25, 2014)

I am getting tired of you self appointed moderators, learn to use the ignor feature and let Barry run the forum. I am interested in putting out traps this year and was not aware of the product mentioned and found the post useful.


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