# There Seems To Be Some Interest In My Swarm Traps!!



## WilliamsHoneyBees (Feb 17, 2010)

Did you put old comb in it? Probably bees robbing out any bits of honey or pollen they can find.


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## danpunch (Feb 1, 2012)

Just lemon grass oil and frames with beeswax on them.


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## Charlie B (May 20, 2011)

Looks to me like they're house hunting. They have that excited demeanor. I would bet they will make a decision in several days. Good luck and keep us posted!


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## minz (Jan 15, 2011)

yeah rub it in, I got up and it was snowing. It doesnt snow here but maybe twice a year. I am thinking of adding frames of foundation to my traps this year, did you do all foundation or just some bees wax on a top bar?


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## danpunch (Feb 1, 2012)

@ Charlie: I hope they do! I'll definitely keep you posted. 

@ Minz: I have room for eight frames in there. I am trying it with three frames with foundation, and two foundationless with guides with beeswax in the tops of them. I'm hoping they find things to their liking. 

This one's in my back yard--from the bee activity I've seen there in the past few years, I'm pretty sure there are a few hives closeby, and if they should swarm, I'm hoping they move in here. I have three more boxes made up and just need to find some good places to put 'em.


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## danpunch (Feb 1, 2012)

Ok, so this morning I went and checked on my swarm trap and saw the bees going in and out of it as before, however, they were doing it much faster as if I was watching them in a video that was on fast forward. Later this afternoon, I opened up the garage door and saw a bunch of debris in the air (it has been really windy here all day). Then, as I got closer, I realized the debris was really a swarm of bees! AND they were headed straight for my back yard!!! I quickly ran through the house and out the back door and saw the whole backyard was in a flurry. I spied my swarm trap and shot this quick video:

[video]http://flic.kr/p/bzYp6k[/video]

And as any proud father would do, I snapped several photos:








http://flic.kr/p/bn4ybu








http://flic.kr/p/bzYpuM








http://flic.kr/p/bzYpwa


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## A10fuelfxr (Nov 23, 2011)

Congrats on the swarm! Looks very exciting.


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## Seymore (May 1, 2009)

Color me green with envy! But congrats to you - how fun! I'm ready to put one out myself - hope I get lucky too!!


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## kentuckyjeff (Jan 26, 2012)

congrats, put out one trap yesterday, but think its early 4 me.


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## Charlie B (May 20, 2011)

YES! What did I tell ya. I knew they were checking it out earlier. Nice work! Now, we have a swarm capture contest going on another thread: 

http://www.beesource.com/forums/sho...-swarm-catching-challenge&p=762702#post762702

Go to this thread and read the rules and report your capture.


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## Seymore (May 1, 2009)

Well, Ive been trying to get a swarm trap up for 2 weeks now. My weekend starts tomorrow so maybe then. ITMT, I am just getting too excited by all the swarm so that I put up a makeshift trap. What the heck, right? I'm fishing the lazy way!








It's sitting on my front porch - ha! But I do have some old comb (not in a frame, just in a wad - is that what you do?) and a cotton ball with lgo. Who knows, anything is possible. Tomorrow maybe hubby will drag out that ladder for me.


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## Desert Viking Ranch (Mar 1, 2011)

Nice job :thumbsup:. I just checked and re-baited my swarm trap from last year this past weekend. It a bit colder down here still, but I figure better to put out the trap early than late. I've got a huge cotton wood in the river that throws swarms every year and with any luck I will be able to catch one. My trap sits right near my driveway up about 10-12 feet (and about 200 feet from the "cottonwood hive" down the road) so I anxiously check on it every time I drive by hoping to see some activity. I am using some swarm lures given to me by my neighbor who is a pest control guy and few old drawn frames/comb. The rest are empty frames.

I have no idea where he got the lures but he gave me about 30 or so and a lot of them say bee-lure on the package. Some look like these from Brushy Mountain http://www.brushymountainbeefarm.com/Pheromone-Lure-ea/productinfo/253/ and the rest look like little clear pieces of glass or candy about 1/8" long. Anyone have any success with swarm lures or know about how long they last before refreshing is needed? I planned on using LGO but decided since the lures were free I'd use em up first.


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## LetMBee (Jan 4, 2012)

Congrats man! Now you are going to be hooked on the same drug as the rest of us. SWARM TRAPPING!


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## danpunch (Feb 1, 2012)

Thank you! I had my doubts that it would work without old comb, but as you can see just a bit of melted bees wax and lemon grass oil definitely works! 

I'm off to the garage to build more...


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## danpunch (Feb 1, 2012)

kentuckyjeff said:


> congrats, put out one trap yesterday, but think its early 4 me.


I'd rather have it up and ready than miss out on an opportunity


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## sasquatch (Mar 13, 2010)

my thoughts exactley,16 traps out.and over 20 on hold for now.let them snif em out and now there thear.kinda early hear but they will keep them in mind when tyhe time is right


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## stacyleighpalmer (Feb 19, 2012)

danpunch, 

that is SO cool! hmm...looks like i have plans this weekend. 

stacy


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## LetMBee (Jan 4, 2012)

Build it and they will come!


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## danpunch (Feb 1, 2012)

Charlie B said:


> YES! What did I tell ya. I knew they were checking it out earlier. Nice work! Now, we have a swarm capture contest going on another thread:
> 
> http://www.beesource.com/forums/sho...-swarm-catching-challenge&p=762702#post762702
> 
> Go to this thread and read the rules and report your capture.


Sheesh! There's some stiff competition there! I'm glad I just got my Home Depot card paid off; looks like I'm going to be buying a bunch of plywood


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## danpunch (Feb 1, 2012)

Seymore said:


> Well, Ive been trying to get a swarm trap up for 2 weeks now. My weekend starts tomorrow so maybe then. ITMT, I am just getting too excited by all the swarm so that I put up a makeshift trap. What the heck, right? I'm fishing the lazy way!
> (Image)
> It's sitting on my front porch - ha! But I do have some old comb (not in a frame, just in a wad - is that what you do?) and a cotton ball with lgo. Who knows, anything is possible. Tomorrow maybe hubby will drag out that ladder for me.


Ha! You never know; I'd never done a swarm trap before, but from what I've read, the key is the lemon grass oil...worked for me


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## danpunch (Feb 1, 2012)

Desert Viking Ranch said:


> Nice job :thumbsup:. I just checked and re-baited my swarm trap from last year this past weekend. It a bit colder down here still, but I figure better to put out the trap early than late. I've got a huge cotton wood in the river that throws swarms every year and with any luck I will be able to catch one. My trap sits right near my driveway up about 10-12 feet (and about 200 feet from the "cottonwood hive" down the road) so I anxiously check on it every time I drive by hoping to see some activity. I am using some swarm lures given to me by my neighbor who is a pest control guy and few old drawn frames/comb. The rest are empty frames.
> 
> I have no idea where he got the lures but he gave me about 30 or so and a lot of them say bee-lure on the package. Some look like these from Brushy Mountain http://www.brushymountainbeefarm.com/Pheromone-Lure-ea/productinfo/253/ and the rest look like little clear pieces of glass or candy about 1/8" long. Anyone have any success with swarm lures or know about how long they last before refreshing is needed? I planned on using LGO but decided since the lures were free I'd use em up first.


Thank you! From what I've read, LGO and the lures work equally well--and I'm very fond of free stuff! So, are you busy building 29 more traps?


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