# How does my first build top bar noc trap looks



## RAFAEL/PR (Feb 23, 2012)

HEY GUY , just build my first noc top bar trap what do you think of it, on planing to making 2 more so i will have 4 trap all together to catch me some africanized honeybees in P.R
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...1896678954195.53013.1758242520&type=3&theater
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...1896678954195.53013.1758242520&type=3&theater
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...1896678954195.53013.1758242520&type=3&theater


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## robherc (Mar 17, 2012)

Looks to me like the bars are spaced a little wide. For a Nuc/Swarm trap, 1.25" (31.75cm) is a good width for the bars, push 'em all together, then add a 1/8" (3mm) spacer before the first bar, and another after the last bar. You should get less burr comb with proper width bars, and it'll likely give you room for 5 bars in each box 

What are you using for swarm attractant & for comb guides?


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## RAFAEL/PR (Feb 23, 2012)

robherc said:


> Looks to me like the bars are spaced a little wide. For a Nuc/Swarm trap, 1.25" (31.75cm) is a good width for the bars, push 'em all together, then add a 1/8" (3mm) spacer before the first bar, and another after the last bar. You should get less burr comb with proper width bars, and it'll likely give you room for 5 bars in each box
> 
> What are you using for swarm attractant & for comb guides?


Hi i am using the string in the middle with the melted beewax on the top bars. for attraction my friend and a member of this forum is going to give me some black comb for a lure, he already caught 3 swans this week , he caught i think was like 12 swam last year , i think you could call him the island guru for bee keeping,lol, and yes i be putting on a 5th bar as soon as i get more wood , =) , next week i will be start building my own hives ,dont know what style yet for the hot weather in this Island remember we have no winter here lowest temp will be about 55


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## Keth Comollo (Nov 4, 2011)

Looks good! Get some lemongrass oil in that thing and start trapping!!


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## RAFAEL/PR (Feb 23, 2012)

Keth Comollo said:


> Looks good! Get some lemongrass oil in that thing and start trapping!!


Thank s,Keth!! feed back it what i need to know im doing it right


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## robherc (Mar 17, 2012)

I live in coastal Texas...we get hot+humid most of the year here too, though we also have "northers" blow through that freeze us for a couple weeks in the winter. I'm using sloped-side (i.e. bottom half of a hexagon) top-bar hives for my main hives because they're easy to suspend several hives from one pair of "T" stands (to help keep the fire ants at bay), and because the hot sun only really hits the lid of my hives, so that's the only part I need to insulate against the sun. ...might be worth considering if heat is your biggest enemy too 

Here are a couple pics of one of my new hives (sorry, I need to get some better construction pics of them taken...the lid is insulated with a 1/8" air space & aluminum foil underneath (you can see the edge of the aluminum foil in the 2nd pic)


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## RAFAEL/PR (Feb 23, 2012)

robherc said:


> I live in coastal Texas...we get hot+humid most of the year here too, though we also have "northers" blow through that freeze us for a couple weeks in the winter. I'm using sloped-side (i.e. bottom half of a hexagon) top-bar hives for my main hives because they're easy to suspend several hives from one pair of "T" stands (to help keep the fire ants at bay), and because the hot sun only really hits the lid of my hives, so that's the only part I need to insulate against the sun. ...might be worth considering if heat is your biggest enemy too
> 
> Here are a couple pics of one of my new hives (sorry, I need to get some better construction pics of them taken...the lid is insulated with a 1/8" air space & aluminum foil underneath (you can see the edge of the aluminum foil in the 2nd pic)


awesome set up you have , might make one like yours to see what work best and yes my location is always hot and humid and in the summer it hotter the sun beat you down to a pup , the other thing i have to worry is the rain here lots of it, since i live about a mile from the ocean we get very stiff breeze here sometime for weeks ,and for red ants we have lot of them here i rather get sting by a bee then from a ants , pain goes away within the hour not so with ant stings,they last for days and the part they got you ,you get pluses on you skin


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## robherc (Mar 17, 2012)

RAFAEL/PR said:


> awesome set up you have, might make one like yours to see what work best and yes my location is always hot and humid and in the summer it's hotter the sun beat you down to a pulp, the other thing i have to worry is the rain here lots of it, since i live about a mile from the ocean we get very stiff breeze here sometime for weeks, and for red ants we have lot of them here...


If you'd like, I'll send you a copy of the plans for my whole series of hives that are compatible with that first one....once I get all of the plans completed that is. 

As for rain & wind, you can't see in those pics, but the lid has 4 screws holding it down (my property is about 3/4 mile from the Gulf shore), and I'm planning on adding another layer to the lid...3 "trusses" (triangles about 22" wide and 2-3" tall), then some 1/4" plywood on top of them for a "rain roof" ... that will also add another air space to insulate the hive from the sun's heat even more.

If you want some information on combatting the red imported fire ants (RIFA according to Wikipedia), check out the "Fireants!!!" thread I started...TONS of information on the little devils in there.


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## RAFAEL/PR (Feb 23, 2012)

thanks i just posted on the bee forum if i could build a Langstroth Style hive out of 3/4 inch plywood ,if not going then to your direction with the top bar , but i will make them to accept frames, your ideas are great for our type of weather, the weather kick my butt a lot because im from new york, i love the cold weather


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## robherc (Mar 17, 2012)

FYI, I use 19" top bars in mine that I designed to be compatible with Langstroth "Dadant style" frames...I also engineered frames to fit these boxes (NOT a build for the feint hearted, though....angles are a pain on 'em), notice the frame hanging from the back "T" stand in the first pic. I posted (it's on the Right, under the chunk of comb)


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## RAFAEL/PR (Feb 23, 2012)

robherc said:


> FYI, I use 19" top bars in mine that I designed to be compatible with Langstroth "Dadant style" frames...I also engineered frames to fit these boxes (NOT a build for the feint hearted, though....angles are a pain on 'em), notice the frame hanging from the back "T" stand in the first pic. I posted (it's on the Right, under the chunk of comb)


the second picture you have is more to my liking and look like you could use the frame on it the angle is not alot there , cutting angles is not hard for me also if you have a milTer saw it make it easy


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