# Swarm traps for this spring



## knoxjk (Sep 10, 2010)

I saw an idea on utube to build a swarm trap out of round concrete forms I think I like the idea because it resimbles a tree trunk something natural to the bees. The only thing I would change instead of placing it horizontail i am going to hang it vertical with the hole in the bottom on the side and paint it to try to make it last. Does anyone think there is an advantage or will it make any difference? By the way they are ending up costing about 7 bucks to make.


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## tommyt (Aug 7, 2010)

> swarm trap out of round concrete forms


 Do you have a link? The cost sounds good @ 7 each but what about weight and Ability to get them out? Do you crack the concrete or is it accessible /reusable.

Tommyt


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## beefarmer (May 2, 2010)

are you making them from the form material, or era you making them out of cement? i'm always looking for a better swarm trap, as i tried the cardboard type nuc boxes last summer and did not catch anything. the one i liked the best was the rectangle fiber type box that you put a couple frames in and had a removable lid, caught swarms in this box every year until the fibre finally became soft and unuseable.


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## Adrian Quiney WI (Sep 14, 2007)

Hi there, do a search for "Sono" on this forum. There are some good links and great ideas. BTW the form is used, but not the concrete.


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## knoxjk (Sep 10, 2010)

I got the 12 inch round cement cardboard forms at Lowe's, they are just under $8.00 each. These tubes are 4ft. long and I cut them in half and used scrap plywood in the ends with a few frames of drawn comb. I'm going to paint the outside to try to make them last. Beefarmer how many swarms did you catch?....with how many traps?..... Did you use lemongrass oil for lure? What's your thought.. why did the cardboard not catch any swarms? Thanks Kevin


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## knoxjk (Sep 10, 2010)

P.S. Thanks Adrian, Guys do take a look at "Sono" painting the outside and coating the inside with wax would make them last alot longer. Adrian have you used this type of trap, how did they work for you? Thanks Kevin


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## G3farms (Jun 13, 2009)

Why not just make five frame nucs out of 1/2" plywood, can get four of them out of a 4 x 8 sheet. They will take deep frames and then you can easily transfer them into a regular hive set up. Give them a shot of paint and they will last for years to come and you will not have to do a cut out on the round tube. 

Looking for the link............


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## G3farms (Jun 13, 2009)

here ya go, I have made several of these and they work awful well.

http://s196.photobucket.com/albums/aa190/Drew454/Nuc plans/


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## Fuzzy (Aug 4, 2005)

Almost anything works as a swarm trap when bees are in the mood. But the only thing that makes any sense is something that holds standard beekeeping frames. Anything else requires the end user to perform a "cutout" to move the bees into a permanent hive.

Now if your intent is to leave the hive in the sonotube permanently, then I suppose it is a good idea -- but generally illegal.


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

I'm with Fuzzy and G3. I caught 50 last year, all in boxes with standard frames. Anything that requires a cutout is a waste of time and delays the swarms buildup. You can build proper nuc boxes for cheap with waste plywood or wine boxes.


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## Adrian Quiney WI (Sep 14, 2007)

kevin, I haven't put out a sono tube trap. I had a go at making one and then gave up as I didn't see end plugs around and couldn't make one. Since then I have bought a table saw and think it would be easier for me to make regular boxes for swarms.
I understand that the appeal of the sono tube trap - if you can make one. It is lightweight, and relatively cheap if kids destroy it.
What frame configuration do you successful folks put in and why? I am wondering how many drawn frames you put in, and whether you fill the remaining space with empty frames, frames with foundation, or leave an empty void? What works best?


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

I use five frame nuc boxes and eight frame wine boxes filled with combs from dead hives. Never leave a void in any hive unless you like doing cutouts. I caught a late one on five foundations, in an old nuc box that had already caught a swarm earlier last season. It drew all the frames but failed.

This year I have made 26 medium frame depth traps from wine boxes using two old broken extracting combs as bait, and filled out with foundationless frames. This might tell us if baits don't mind voids.


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## PCM (Sep 18, 2007)

Swarm Trapping; Catch a swarm of bees

This is kinda miss leading I believe, unless you are next to a large bee operation,and can catch some of their probable swarms. 

I believe I read that there is a average of about 1 wild beehive per square mile, that makes for slim pickens, lots of trees, sheds, whatevers for the hives to build a nest.

There has to be Bees swarming for you to trap them.

odfrank evidently catches many, however he doesn't say, but I believe he's near the Almond area were thousands of transient bee hives are set out, or near some large Apiairy's. [ Perhaps he will be kind enough to clarify his area]

There about 20 members in our bee club, most all of us set up swarm traps, the only success we really have is once in awhile catching our own or each others swarms, that got away from us.

Good Luck if you have bees in your neighborhood

:lookout: PCM


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## Adrian Quiney WI (Sep 14, 2007)

Frank, that's what I'm curious about. Do the bees see frames with foundation as an obstacle, or an opportunity? The same question with plastic frames - obstacle or opportunity? :s
These questions are academic for me as I have yet to trap a swarm, but the subject is fascinating. 2011 I'll have a few spare old drawn combs to play with, this a good time of the year to contemplate my options.


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## ronnd (Dec 17, 2010)

I've have built two sono tube traps using 12in tube with plywood ends (one with hole drilled for entrance I use 5/8 so I can stick a cork in it when I go to pick it up) with a small strip glued to the inside of the ends as a frame rest and 5 med. frames in them with drawn comb put a handle on the top and u can pull them up and down with a rope throwed over a limb I caught one swarm in them last season I painted them and they held up well should get another year or two out of them.


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## Kingfisher Apiaries (Jan 16, 2010)

I cannot figure out if this is 3rd word or bubba, but considering I am in texas most likely the latter


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## Grant (Jun 12, 2004)

PCM said:


> Swarm Trapping; Catch a swarm of bees. This is kinda miss leading...There has to be Bees swarming for you to trap them.


Different areas have different quantities of bees. I tried to trap swarms in a conservation area along the Mississippi River. Beautiful woods and rolling hills. Very, very poor results, however. In downtown Cape Girardeau, there are TONS of swarms (lots of old buildings, old canopy trees). 

You also need a good nectar flow to fill a congested brood nest to trigger the swarming impulse.

Keep tabs on where you get swarm calls. Those are good areas to set traps.

When Hurricane Ike blew up from the Gulf and directly over Cape Girardeau county, I must have had fifty calls from people who said, "It's the dangest thing. The hurricane blew down the old maple tree and the bees moved in over night."

I tried, in vain, to explain the bees were there all season, but over and over, homeowner replied, "No. We never saw any bees."

Trapping swarms is like fishing. Try a different bait, try a different spot. But don't give up. Nothing ventured; nothing gained.

Grant
Jackson, MO

http://www.swarmtrapping.homestead.com

.


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## G3farms (Jun 13, 2009)

Good points for trapping swarms!!

Also put out traps around where you might have done a cut out, there has to be bees in the area also.


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## Stanisr (Aug 25, 2010)

It seems that once again there are as many opinions concerning this topic as beeks that wish to respond. I realize that in different locations there will be different results, but I would like to know the average number of swarms trapped per 10 traps set, and the basic technique used by the beek. Do you use lure, what kind, or lemongrass oil. I plan to set several traps in my area this spring and have scouted all last year for locations with lots of ferel bees. Thanks


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

> Perhaps he will be kind enough to clarify his area]

I am trapping in a temperate climate, residential areas, very conducive to both feral bees in hollow oak trees and hobbyist beekeepers. I discovered this year that two good sites were close to fellow beekeepers with numerous hives in their back yard. The best site caught ten swarms of what appeared to be commercially bred bees and one mean one. 

>The same question with plastic frames - obstacle or opportunity?
Last spring I caught swarms on both only foundation and only plastic combs, but for those two I had out 48 more filled with full set of wax drawn combs. 

>I would like to know the average number of swarms trapped per 10 traps set, and the basic technique used by the beek. Do you use lure, what kind, or lemongrass oil.

I have close to 100% success, using drawn wax combs from dead hives with a few drops of lemongrass oil in five and eight frame boxes set below arm reach height.


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## G3farms (Jun 13, 2009)

OD sounds like you found a good fishing hole.


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## Fuzzy (Aug 4, 2005)

I am about 25 miles south of OdFrank. It's just as easy down here. The swarms are almost a problem. Our bee guild just collects em and re-distributes to the members.

Just remember to ask the customer "is that YOUR garage wall" before opening the siding !! Sometimes it is NOT !


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

Fuzzy, who has bees near Blossom Hill and Winfield ? I caught ten near there.


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## Fuzzy (Aug 4, 2005)

Odfrank,

There are numerous members in that area. But there are also numerous architectural hives as well. I was on one swarm call down there and spotted 4 hives in fake columns on the face of houses. That was 4 hives in 400 ft. There is also some farm area as well as open space and a golf course right there. So, plenty of spots for ferals to hang out.

But I do have to admit that many of the bee club members are lax at preventing swarms from their hives, and then they wonder why they only get 40 lbs of honey.

Merry Christmas -- Fuzzy


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## My-smokepole (Apr 14, 2008)

I have done the sona Tube 2 years in a row. The plus is easy to make cheap to make. In four traps last year I cought 2 swarms. The one place both years. The bigest problem with them is by the time I find them. They have buit it out. and I tearing thing up putting them in a box. The one swarm never recover between that and the SHB that came with it. As I sit here I thinking. I will change over to the OSB/plywood nuc plan boxes for next year in Med frames. 
David


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## johng (Nov 24, 2009)

I will have to agree with some of the other guys. If you use anything else besides something with regular frames in it you will be doing some kind of cut out. The swarms build comb very fast even if you check your traps every couple days you may find it with quite a bit of comb already drawn out. The easy nuc plans on this site are great and not hard to build. Why would you try to do it any other way? JMHO


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## beefarmer (May 2, 2010)

knoxjk said:


> I got the 12 inch round cement cardboard forms at Lowe's, they are just under $8.00 each. These tubes are 4ft. long and I cut them in half and used scrap plywood in the ends with a few frames of drawn comb. I'm going to paint the outside to try to make them last. Beefarmer how many swarms did you catch?....with how many traps?..... Did you use lemongrass oil for lure? What's your thought.. why did the cardboard not catch any swarms? Thanks Kevin


knoxjk, i only had i of the rectangle fibre board traps, and it would catch a swarm every year one year it caught 2. it fell apart do to age and i tried 3 of the round fibre traps screwed on plywood and didn't cacth any, this year i put out 3 waxed carboard nuc boxes and didn't catch anything. i did get 4 calls to go and collect swarms but that was far enough away they would not have found my traps. either there wasn;t any swarms in the area or they don;t like the card. nucs. but i did put in drawn comb and the wax moths were there when i took them down, maybe i should have just put in foundation. there was 1 trap by a ferel colony in a tree and bees would work my trap, infact the land owner called me and said i cuahgt a swarn, he saw alot of bees going in and out. i took the box of the tree taht even. and there was nothing in it, don't figure?


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## WilliamsHoneyBees (Feb 17, 2010)

I will 2nd, 3rd, and 4th the guys that use a box that will hold standard frames. Build nucs, build lots and lots and did I say lots of nucs. You can use them for queen rearing, swarm traps, overwinter hives in them, sell them as starter hives, etc. I started trapping last year and used at least one frame of drawn comb the rest foundation with lemon grass oil with a 40% success rate. One hive I had a dead queen so I threw her in there and a few days later heres a swarm. I used medium supers, deep supers, and nucs. Build the boxes and throw them up. I had mine in two different counties and didn't have to check them everyday like you do with these so called "swarm traps" that are sold in the catalogs. I caught one swarm in a deep hive body and I left them there for a month just because I didn't have time to get to it. I highly highly recommend against using anything that you will have to cut the comb out of. You will be surprised at how fast a swarm will draw comb! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvhFwur1E50


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## My-smokepole (Apr 14, 2008)

The sona tube ones I made up to take 3 deep frames but I all is end up with a mess. Witch is why I am rethinking this all. 
David


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## KQ6AR (May 13, 2008)

I'm about 30miles inland from ODFrank, we where on a local swarm list for our city. This year we got over 30 phone calls for swarm removals. The area is residential, no farm land within bee fly distance.
My bait hives didn't have any luck though.


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

KQ6AR said:


> My bait hives didn't have any luck though.


Old combs and lemongrass oil, you can't go wrong.


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## Morris (Oct 12, 2004)

I strongly agree with anything that will hold standard sized frames.

See Tom Seeley's new book Honeybee Democracy for desirable parameters for attracting swarms. An excellent book.

This year i will be placing bait hives in a few locations where property owners swear that the bees have been living in hollow trees for a few years. Worth a try.


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## rweakley (Jul 2, 2004)

Don't forget to spray the old comb with BT and you won't have to worry as much about wax moths.


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## WilliamsHoneyBees (Feb 17, 2010)

Depends on your area but I get my bait hives down by july 1 to help prevent wax moth damage. Major swarming season is over anyway.

-Dan


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## Anthony Ritenour (Mar 17, 2008)

Excuse my ignorance, but what is BT?


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## Barry (Dec 28, 1999)

*BT:* _Bacillus thuringiensis_. Bacillus thuringiensis aizawai strain NB200 is a part of a large group of bacteria, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), that occur naturally in soil. These bacteria are toxic to certain species of insects and can be used as an insecticides. Once ingested by larvae, Bt bacteria release a toxic protein into the insect digestive system. This protein causes death by attaching to the gut, eventually rupturing it. Different strains of Bt are toxic to specific groups of insects. Bacillus thuringiensis aizawai strain NB200 is known to be toxic to numerous species of moths, including many pests of agricultural crops.

http://www.beesource.com/resources/elements-of-beekeeping/beekeeping-glossary/


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## heaflaw (Feb 26, 2007)

So, BT is not harmful to honeybees?


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## tommyt (Aug 7, 2010)

So, BT is not harmful to honeybees? 

Correct Not harmful

Tommyt


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## heaflaw (Feb 26, 2007)

How long is it effective on combs & where do I get it?


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

pine_ridge_farms said:


> Depends on your area but I get my bait hives down by july 1 to help prevent wax moth damage. Major swarming season is over anyway.-Dan


Agreed, I have no moth problems in my bait hives in spring. I would be concerned that the BT might leave a scent the bees might not like. Has anyone caught a substantial amount of baits on BT treated combs?


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## KQ6AR (May 13, 2008)

My bait hives had Bt on them, Caught 4 swarms within flight distance of my bait hives the traps caught 0. Maybe the bt had something to do with it maybe not.

I caught 2 Oct swarms this year, have them in nucs & they are going strong.

Sundance has the correct BT in the for sale section.


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## Fuzzy (Aug 4, 2005)

Od,

Can't say for 100% positive. I am pretty sure that I have caught swarms on comb with dry BT. I've been using it for several years now and catch 3-5 in bait hive each year. 

I can say that BT treated comb does not cause any acceptance problems when you dump swarms into them. Have never had one take off.

Happy new year all -- Fuzzy


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