# Trapping/Catches 2021



## GregB (Dec 26, 2017)

What the heck, 2021 is here!
Before you know it, swarms will start flying down South.
Here is a place to discuss and brag (and cry) about 2021 swarm chasing season.


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## AR1 (Feb 5, 2017)

It's been a great trapping year so far...I caught 8 bees on top of the snow. 4 revived once in the warm house. All I need now is a queen...


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## JWPalmer (May 1, 2017)

AR1, I am not sure if plucking bees out of the snow qualifies as "trapping".


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## Tigger19687 (Dec 27, 2014)

JWPalmer said:


> AR1, I am not sure if plucking bees out of the snow qualifies as "trapping".


Well I bet he SURE 'trapped' them in his hands when they came alive inside ... 
I know I did


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## JWPalmer (May 1, 2017)

I have visions of AR1 carrying those poor little bees back out to the hive, trudging through knee deep snow and battling a howling wind. Or maybe he just used a flyswatter?


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## 123989 (Jul 30, 2018)

I have been in my shop just staring at my swarm boxes.


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## AR1 (Feb 5, 2017)

My daughter wanted me to do just that. She relented when I told her some bees still in the hive would fly out and probably die. I did put them in a cup with some moist sugar, but they only lasted a day. I imagine the ones who leave the hive in this weather are probably the ones ready to go anyway.


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## amk (Dec 16, 2017)

Second swarm capture. Didn’t get a pic of first one I found last Friday then this one yesterday both found while driving. Keep your eyes peeled 👀.


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## amk (Dec 16, 2017)

Greg maybe edit the name to trapping/catches 2021 😀


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## GregB (Dec 26, 2017)

amk said:


> Greg maybe edit the name to trapping/catches 2021 😀


I can not change it now - too late.
But this is kind of in line with the previous annual trapping topics.
This is our third year (or is it forth?) - don't remember; need to look.

OK; looked; we had these named "Trapping 2020 - success rate?" and so on..
Anyway, I originally envisioned the specific rate of success of the trapping to be discussed (and exchange of ideas how to improve the trapping). 
But anything goes to help the *"beeple"* to brag about.
If you want to brag about chasing after swarm with an empty pillow case and still nailing them - then go ahead and brag away. 

NOW - the is my own brand new brain child - *beeple.*
I did not copy it from anywhere. It just happened.
The new and the original word - as documented by this post.


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## GregB (Dec 26, 2017)

So I setup 9 trap locations (2 traps on some sites).
Too lazy to bother with more.
Every single trap on the ground (save for the back porch).

Will see how it goes with this very long and cold spring.
The dandelions and orchards went largely wasted - too cold.
Hopefully, the swarm pressure is building up.

Just today, (May 18th - finally!), there was the first local message about a swarm on a tree.
It is raining outside again.
Will go around checking on the weekend.
Fingers crossed.


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## AR1 (Feb 5, 2017)

Have not seen a single bee enter any of my traps yet, except the dead out that is being cleaned out.


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## GregB (Dec 26, 2017)

AR1 said:


> Have not seen a single bee enter any of my traps yet, except the dead out that is being cleaned out.


Me neither.
Everything is just dead so far.

At least in one place I know there are bees - while setting a trap in honey-suckle thicket I saw bees foraging right next to my trap. No interest.

On my back porch location I had tons of bees working the mountain ash tree - right next to the trap - zero interest.


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## amk (Dec 16, 2017)

GregV said:


> Me neither.
> Everything is just dead so far.
> 
> At least in one place I know there are bees - while setting a trap in honey-suckle thicket I saw bees foraging right next to my trap. No interest.
> ...


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## GregB (Dec 26, 2017)

JWPalmer said:


> AR1, I am not sure if plucking bees out of the snow qualifies as "trapping".


Good to still have JW in our 2021 discussion.
Hopefully, he will be watching and smiling from wherever he is now days.


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

An Apiary client wanted their hives off their property for a party. We stored them at our shop. Employee was eating lunch when their best hive swarmed, a five year heritage Bweaver. The swarm was padgened and three queencell divides made. The client will get back three additional colonies.


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## AR1 (Feb 5, 2017)

Woof! Now that's a big swarm.


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## GregB (Dec 26, 2017)

This season is starting slow around my area.
Last year by now I already had at least 3 swarms.
Still nothing.
It feels as if not many bees made it through the last winter (the local chatter seems to support this).

Only observed strong scouting in one out of 9 traps yesterday (pictured).
Fingers crossed.
I could really use some bees soon here if to try my queen raising experiments this year.


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## GregB (Dec 26, 2017)

Huh...
Maybe the Northern swarming is heating up too.
Noticed scouting going around a nuc freely standing just outside of my basement window.
Talking of unconventional trapping locations. 
This is addictive - I keep checking the progress....


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## G3farms (Jun 13, 2009)

LOL nice location for a swarm trap, now anybody can watch the bees safely. I like it!


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## amk (Dec 16, 2017)

I’ve caught about ten so far here’s a few more. The year started slow with the big freeze we had here in south Texas but it’s going now! I was concerned about using all drawn comb and nucs but it hasn’t slowed them down I had one that was all five frames front to back laid with brood and queen cups with an egg barely caught them before they swarmed again. I wish I had be trapping years ago I’ve caught some really good swarms


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## amk (Dec 16, 2017)

Anothern 🤷‍♂️😀


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## GregB (Dec 26, 2017)

With this late May "polar vortex" all swarming activity ceased to exist.
Scouting is slowly coming back to life.

In the backyard they just can not make they minds between the multiple trap hives that I have.
They now moved onto the next target - my wintering box with nuc boxes inside.
This is already the 4th target they seem to be moving onto - too many choices that I got.

So now I see the scouts hauling dead bees out of the "pink entrance".
That is an encouraging sign.
If scouts are already doing housekeeping chores in a trap hive, how can this NOT be encouraging!

Very recently I watched a video where dead bees are mentioned to be a good attractant too
(See 12:00)


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## AR1 (Feb 5, 2017)

No scouting here. Very few honey bees at all.


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## clong (Apr 6, 2015)

Swarming is just about done here in Central Virginia. This year the score is 7 swarms in 10 traps. One trap got hit twice.

Gregv,

It is disappointing to hear nothing is happening for you yet. Most of the captures around here happened in a 10 day span. Hopefully, you will be swimming in swarms soon.


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## GregB (Dec 26, 2017)

Unless something happens, a swarm into that triple-trap pictured above is highly probable today.
Activity is heavy already.

They keep shifting between the three - the "pink entrance", the "blue entrance", or the nuc standing on the top. Have no clue which one it will be.

Look to be just some junk, "almond" bees (the usual here) - but I need some resource bees badly, if I am to start my queen raising project from the lone VSH survivor. 
Will take any bees.


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## AR1 (Feb 5, 2017)

clong said:


> Swarming is just about done here in Central Virginia. This year the score is 7 swarms in 10 traps. One trap got hit twice.
> 
> Gregv,
> 
> It is disappointing to hear nothing is happening for you yet. Most of the captures around here happened in a 10 day span. Hopefully, you will be swimming in swarms soon.


It is still early days around here. My earliest swarms have been late May, and June seems to be the big swarm month. Greg has a lot of chances remaining. 

If I was serious about it I'd sneak over by the nearest almond bee apiary and set some traps in the woods. It's less than 10 miles away.


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## GregB (Dec 26, 2017)

AR1 said:


> If I was serious about it I'd sneak over by the nearest almond bee apiary and set some traps in the woods. It's less than 10 miles away.


Hehe...
You should.
You have a promising survivor, but need the resources to propagate it.
Nothing wrong with almond bees in that.


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## AR1 (Feb 5, 2017)

GregV said:


> Hehe...
> You should.
> You have a promising survivor, but need the resources to propagate it.
> Nothing wrong with almond bees in that.


Unfortunately, I am lazy...in some respects anyway. I don't leave home much except to go to work. 

In a weird way this past year has been a good one for me. My work became far more intense, valuable and interesting, and I was required to do in my spare time exactly what I prefer to do anyway...stay home.

But, now that the thought is in my head, it would be easy to swing by on my way home from work and drop off a few traps along the creeks nearby...take a couple minutes each...


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## GregB (Dec 26, 2017)

AR1 said:


> it would be easy to swing by on my way home from work and drop off a few traps along the creeks nearby...take a couple minutes each...


Especially IF this is not a special trip, but just mostly your routine commute.
And you already have the idle equipment - well, heck, try to fill it up.

Keep in mind - you are doing community service by roaming swarm prevention.
People in my area are already calling and complaining of the swarms entering the houses - same old every year.
I personally have no inclination to do any removals; but others do it.

AR, I now have a sprinkle bottle with 2.5% OA ready - to wash down any swarms I capture in 2021. 
Change in my program, I am sure you are aware.
Granted we both have pathetic survival rates - something to consider for you too.


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## GregB (Dec 26, 2017)

So this in interesting...
Not only they are dragging out dead bees and doing the Nasonov.
They now became defensive and chased me away for being too nosy (too much close picture taking).

Note to self:
it might be a good idea to toss a handful of dead bees (if I find any) into some of the traps;
does not hurt, but a good indicator of the scouting intentions.

And yet - no swarm.
These are just the scouts.


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## clong (Apr 6, 2015)

GregV said:


> They now became defensive and chased me away for being too nosy (too much close picture taking).


I was once taking flash pictures real close to the hole of an occupied trap. After about 4 pictures, roughly 200 bees came boiling out of the hole. They didn't come after me, but I didn't stick around long enough to find out.


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## GregB (Dec 26, 2017)

Pretty sure this backyard swarm was not meant to be.
I need to hit a reset button.

While the scouts were already hauling the trash out and settled enough to ventilate the traps and stay overnight - the real swarm never came. The original bee owner must have intervened and intercepted the leaving swarm.


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## GregB (Dec 26, 2017)

Finally the first swarm of the season for me.

I wish I had an video operator sometimes. Well, I don't.
This turned into a messy cut-out operation due the non-conventional trap.
I just could not film because I had my hands full.
Too bad I didn't check the traps more often than every other week due to logistics.


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## Litsinger (Jun 14, 2018)

Glad you finally landed one, GregV. Hopefully it is the first of several more.


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## GregB (Dec 26, 2017)

Got another one.
2/8 (I discontinued one site so only 8 sites now).


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## GregB (Dec 26, 2017)

Speaking of the scouts, these darn things can be a real problem if they settle into a trap but the swarm never shows.
I got them all settled into my double-trap in the backyard (like I said, they are taking trash out and ventilating).
OK, I let them bee I guess as I got more traps on the site.

Well, today I decided to peek inside and remove some honey frames as these scouts don't really deserve free food for not delivering their swarm.
Got stung.
Twice.
**** scouts!


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## AR1 (Feb 5, 2017)

Good you got another. Still not a whisper here. I saw two bees today in my back yard, investigating a bit of comb left out. 

I put out 2 more traps, one large one in the woods edge a quarter mile from my hive, and another along an access road, not far from an apiary. Plus the empty hives just sitting out.


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## GregB (Dec 26, 2017)

AR1 said:


> Good you got another. Still not a whisper here. I saw two bees today in my back yard, investigating a bit of comb left out.


AR, you should try this - set out any frames and boxes you have outside.
My porch is facing straight East and so the morning sun hits them nicely the first thing.
I got lots of bees all the time sniffing around.
They just not brought any swarms yet (they did try though but someone was paying attention).
(see pic).


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## AR1 (Feb 5, 2017)

GregV said:


> AR, you should try this - set out any frames and boxes you have outside.
> My porch is facing straight East and so the morning sun hits them nicely the first thing.
> I got lots of bees all the time sniffing around.
> They just not brought any swarms yet (they did try though but someone was paying attention).
> (see pic).


It's worth trying, but honestly I already have quite a bit of stuff outside, and zero interest. The occasional bee (3 today) on that bit of old comb.


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## GregB (Dec 26, 2017)

AR1 said:


> It's worth trying, but honestly I already have quite a bit of stuff outside, and zero interest. The occasional bee (3 today) on that bit of old comb.


It is worth trying.
Scouting in my backyard slowed some and I remembered this trick from last year.
So I climbed under the porch and pulled some of these boxes out even though bees found them already.

Yes - it works. For sure drags many more bees this way.
Just the volume of the wax/propolis scent when hit by sun is so heavy so that the plume spreads around much wider - more bees catch the sniff of it.


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## GregB (Dec 26, 2017)

3/8.


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## AR1 (Feb 5, 2017)

Possible swarm incoming. Into a deadout 50 feet from my hive. What appears to be some hundreds of bees acting quite defensive. Pretty sure it isn't robbing because they had worked this hive clean a long time ago.


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## GregB (Dec 26, 2017)

AR1 said:


> Pretty sure it isn't robbing


Very easy test - just set some frame with honey residue out next to the hive.
You should see that the bees are not really interested in the honey frame - then not robbing.


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## GregB (Dec 26, 2017)

Not counting this one - sheesh!
A little swarm without a queen.
I think the bee owner woke up and intercepted the swarm before it took off.
But about a frame worth of bees did make it into my trap.
I waited few days, finally gave up and took the queen-less bees as a boost for one of my splits..

But anyway - this is another good demo how I catch the bees directly on the ground. 
No climbing.


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## Gray Goose (Sep 4, 2018)

Greg,

I ended up catching 4 swarms this year. from 4 traps. 3,0,1,0 were the counts from each.
At least 1 was my own, at least 2 were not, so could not confirm or deny 1 of them.
first was from Orchard bees put near me. I plan to re queen that one.

The 18 swarm control splits did end with 17 good laying queens, So I am happy about that math.
So I added about 20 hives , had 11 losses last winter.

Should go into winter close to 40 hives.

fall preps will take longer this year as I have 1 more yard.

GG


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## AR1 (Feb 5, 2017)

Got one. My own hive swarmed into a deadout. Nice test, since I have a half dozen different traps scattered around. The dead out is two deeps, with three frames open in the center of the lower deep, 50' away from the hive, facing north, in full sun, sitting on the ground level.. 

The others varied from 5 frame nucs to one about the size of a deep a little bigger than one deep.


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## GregB (Dec 26, 2017)

I am getting this hunch that the wide spread "working from home" trend in suburbia is not good for the suburban swarm trapping.

Just as we speak, I have another massive scouting cloud in my backyard - the second day now.
Well, I get this feeling this one will fail too.
Very likely the bee owner somewhere is "working from home" (just like me) and most likely will intercept his/her bees leaving on them.
Sniff.


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## AR1 (Feb 5, 2017)

GregV said:


> I am getting this hunch that the wide spread "working from home" trend in suburbia is not good for the suburban swarm trapping.
> 
> Just as we speak, I have another massive scouting cloud in my backyard - the second day now.
> Well, I get this feeling this one will fail too.
> ...


Last year when I was getting all those crazy swarms, my wife would hear them and wake me up. I sleep days and work nights, so generally home most days. About 3PM seemed to be the prime time for swarms to issue.

Good luck!


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## GregB (Dec 26, 2017)

AR1 said:


> About 3PM seemed to be the prime time for swarms to issue.


Yep; pretty much if nothing landed between 3pm and 5pm - the day has been lost.
So today is lost too.
Wanna bet someone intercepted their swarm again (the same direction/the same type of bees too - generic "US pollinator" type). I am pretty sure I know the source too by now.


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## GregB (Dec 26, 2017)

4/8.


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## GregB (Dec 26, 2017)

5/8
July 4th celebration started for me just about 11am!

And this one is a monster of about immediate 2-deep equivalent.
Need to transfer this asap as they will not fit into 40 litre boxes (hidden inside the brown mega-hive).


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## Litsinger (Jun 14, 2018)

GregV said:


> 5/8


You're on a roll now... Glad you're getting those traps filled up.


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## GregB (Dec 26, 2017)

GregV said:


> 5/8
> July 4th celebration started for me just about 11am!
> 
> And this one is a monster of about immediate 2-deep equivalent.
> Need to transfer this asap as they will not fit into 40 litre boxes (hidden inside the brown mega-hive).


Well, this is instead a monster. 
I have never seen before such big ones.
Ended up refactoring this babe into two units - 16-frame unit (pretty much full) and 7-frame unit (very full) - pictured.
The 7-framer seems to be queen-less at the moment (to be confirmed) - if true, I will at once use it to raise me few queens of my own line.

So indeed to think of it - someone lost 2-deeps worth of bees, fully packed.
Maybe they completely absconded, I will never know.
But for sure someone was sound asleep.
I got two for the price of one.

Also this makes full sense to me now why they kept ignoring my smaller 40 litre boxes and kept zeroing onto the large monster hive (even though it contains two autonomous smaller boxes inside).
Somehow they judged this to be all a single big cavity and went for it.
Also a demonstration that truly 40 litre traps are too small - you want to catch the big ones, either make 60 litre traps OR use the full-size hives for trapping.

I caught swarms into my large long hives before, but this time around two long hives in the backyard were used for storage (honey frame storage) so I had the plugged up. 
Who knew a huge swarm was on the real estate market this year.


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## GregB (Dec 26, 2017)

While ago I stated how one keep swarm landed by keeping them wet.

Well, this time around I did keep them down, just as soon as I realized they were not going to fit into the trap sitting behind the brown wall. So while scrambling around for the alternative options I kept them shaded, cool and wet.
When I relocated all the bees hanging outside into the 16-framer and was able to look behind the brown wall - there were even more bees hanging everywhere inside. Got them all too very wet and the cool shower was very well received too.

Took me two days to finally complete the refactor - I need 2-3 day break away from these bees....
Then need to check the queen status, fix any comb issues they may have created and do the OA dribble to clean them up.


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## GregB (Dec 26, 2017)

6/9
Nice one - 7 extra deeps frames packed and spilling over.

I actually added one more location again - so back to nine.
Just a very convenient location on my way to the grocery store, in a suburban forest opening - I figured I got nothing to loose and I have vacant traps still standing about at home.
I don't feel optimistic about this addition (but I was wrong before and the location is just too convenient not to try it).


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## SeaCucumber (Jun 5, 2014)

I want to know your reason for OAD (oxalic acid dribble). A few years ago I decided on OAV. I haven't looked at discoveries in the past 3 years.


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## Gray Goose (Sep 4, 2018)

nice catch Greg 

your comment:
Also this makes full sense to me now why* they kept ignoring my smaller 40 litre boxes and kept zeroing onto the large monster hive *(even though it contains two autonomous smaller boxes inside).
Somehow they judged this to be all a single big cavity and went for it. 

Is spot on, need a big trap for the big swarms.

the best swarms I caught this year were in a deep of comb with an empty deep or medium under it. 60-70 litre

a 2 deep swarm would be from a hive of 2 deeps with 3 mostly full medium supers, or 2 deep supers. IE about double.

I have 10 or so that big and I do worry about them swarming.

GG


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## GregB (Dec 26, 2017)

SeaCucumber said:


> I want to know your reason for OAD (oxalic acid dribble). A few years ago I decided on OAV. I haven't looked at discoveries in the past 3 years.


OAD is -
Cheap.
No expensive/complicated equipment needed (expecially important when you have many out-yards).
Well tested by now.
Safe (for me) - to the degree of working with common household chemicals.
If done correctly is very effective - *brood-less cleanups*.

If not a brood-less cleanup it becomes a repeat hassle I would rather avoid and every additional treatment adds additional contamination I don't need.
So I am trying to catch OR create a brood-less colony status, and only then do the OAD - this is my 2021 test of clean (re)starts.

Disclaimer, for sure need to wear nitrile gloves and wash your hands well after application.
I was careless and apparently got some my 2.5% solution on my thumb through a hole in a leather glove (bad idea) - in few day an area of skin peeled off as after a minor chemical burn (acid it is). So it is best to have nitrile gloves on and always have plenty of water to rinse off well any suspect areas after working with OA.

From my experience working with harsh chemicals in the past, we rinsed ourselves with water all the time (open skin areas).


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## GregB (Dec 26, 2017)

Gray Goose said:


> Is spot on, need a big trap for the big swarms.


Yep.
So pretty much every full-size hive I have vacant is a trap for me.
Some of the 40-liter hives I use for storage as we speak because I had plenty of full-size traps out.
For as long as I have enough big traps set out, I am good.


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## GregB (Dec 26, 2017)

So far out of the 2021 six swarms I got I can classify them by size as (measured in extra deep frames):
#1 - large (about 6-7 frames; compatible to a Lang deep box)
#2 - large (about 8-9 frames; compatible to a Lang deep box)
#3 - medium (about 5-6 frames)
#4 - medium (about 5-6 frames)
#5 - mega (about 15-16 frames; compatible to two Lang deep boxes)
#6 - large (about 7-8 frames; compatible to a Lang deep box).

Every single one so far landed into a full-size hive or its equivalent (as pictured).
A full-size trap hive for me contains 5-6 frames in various shapes (usually cut-outs after honey harvest) and a follower board to limit the nest space, but the rest of the hive volume is fully accessible for the swarm too for any spill over bees.
So if I was running Lang equipment I'd setup my trap hives as pictured using full size equipment - this way a small swarm gets what it needs (a smaller cavity) and a large swarm gets what it needs too (a large cavity). This setup does it both ways.










So this season turns to be good for me, just it started late and is running late too.
Nice large swarms.


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## GregB (Dec 26, 2017)

No more hits since the last one on 7/10th.
I think I will take down a couple of the stand-alone traps so that I don't need to monitor them anymore (and summer vacation is nearing).
Each one of the 7 bases still has a trap on site anyway.
No special monitoring for these is needed.

Whatever happens the next few weeks, this season was good already and met my needs.


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## Newbeek2021 (May 13, 2021)

Despite having 7 traps out since feb & rebaiting every 2 weeks i was unsucessful in catching one. Next year ill have drawn comb & can spare a few frames to put in so hopefully will have better luck!
Congrats on your success!


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## GregB (Dec 26, 2017)

Newbeek2021 said:


> Despite having 7 traps out since feb & rebaiting every 2 weeks i was unsucessful in catching one. Next year ill have drawn comb & can spare a few frames to put in so hopefully will have better luck!
> Congrats on your success!


Thanks.
Yes, I observe many starting swarm chasers not having luck (as I did myself at the beginning).

Just last night I made a shook swarm for a guy who was un-successfully trapping for a swarm for two years now.
I gave him dark frames, propolised rags, etc... No hits.
And yet my own hives/traps (really well seasoned, unlike his though) have been dragging the swarms down reliably, pretty much side-by-side with his traps.

And so, the well seasoned traps really do perform better at my place.

Anyway, my "student" (let me call him that) can play with his own bees now. 
He's been trying hard and I convinced him to NOT buy the bees just yet.
He deserves a break.


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## Gray Goose (Sep 4, 2018)

GregV said:


> So far out of the 2021 six swarms I got I can classify them by size as (measured in extra deep frames):
> #1 - large (about 6-7 frames; compatible to a Lang deep box)
> #2 - large (about 8-9 frames; compatible to a Lang deep box)
> #3 - medium (about 5-6 frames)
> ...


6 decient swarms good deal.
did you get any promising Queens?
Hopefully you can get some of those thru the winter for using in the spring for splits.

I only caught 3 this year, I am reeling in my traps this week to use in getting splits up to size, give comb and feed to get ready for winter. Some what out of gear, made 20 frames last night to feather in 1 or 2 per hive, and pull a frames of honey for the light ones.

GG

GG


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## GregB (Dec 26, 2017)

Gray Goose said:


> did you get any promising Queens?


I don't see any promising queens, GG.
Pretty much commercial stock, "US pollinator" grade.
Maybe one Carni, sort of.

Depending how many of my own survivor-line queens I have, will replace the swarm queens.

Gave one swarm queen to my "student" with his toy swarm.
Probably will OA treat his toy swarm one more time while brood-less; just to have him a better setup.

The captured queens will be moved into small holding nucs until late fall.
This is just for backup/support/comb building and/or to be sold for 1/2 price to those in urgent queen need (which happens every single fall).

I managed to OA dribble every single swarm I got this year (missed one - but did it later by splitting it).
So that is the experiment this year - how good is a single OA dribble if done on a brood-less startup.


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## Litsinger (Jun 14, 2018)

GregV said:


> So that is the experiment this year - how good is a single OA dribble if done on a brood-less startup.


GregV: 

Glad to read that you've been able to follow-through with your stated goal for the year. I will be interested to see how you fare this Winter to give you another point of reference going forward, especially with some promising 'survivor stock' genetics in the mix.


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## GregB (Dec 26, 2017)

Litsinger said:


> GregV:
> 
> Glad to read that you've been able to follow-through with your stated goal for the year. I will be interested to see how you fare this Winter to give you another point of reference going forward, especially with some promising 'survivor stock' genetics in the mix.


Will see, Russ.
I will do my best to hold the line and only do this one change and nothing else.
So far I have 12 units that should go into the winter if things hold (discounting any temp nucs).


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## daddyo1 (Aug 3, 2021)

Sorry, my first post was so crammed together I deleted it. Below it is posted in what I hope will be a more readable format. (I'm no English major so please excuse the syntax and punctuation)
Also I wanted to offer this information to the forum; I've started putting my traps in our deerstands!!!
The hunters don't use them for nine months of the year, and I have kicked ass using this method!!! (See writeup below)
Good luck everyone! I never expected to catch any swarms in August, but it's been such a strange year here in Texas.


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## daddyo1 (Aug 3, 2021)

daddyo1 said:


> Just joined the site. I'm near Moody Texas. I wanted to post this before I went to work. I will start at the begining of the thread and read through for sure!
> Here is my story;
> 
> If it hadn't happened to me I wouldn't believe it!! I have caught 13 swarms this year.
> ...


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## GregB (Dec 26, 2017)

September 2nd.
Pretty much done for the year.
There are STILL swarms posted on our local board - but I am not chasing them.
Letting others to have a share of free bees too.

*6/9* success this season for me - good result with minimal effort and lazy attitude.


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## Gray Goose (Sep 4, 2018)

ok I will add in my results.
had 3 early in the spring, 1 I am sure was mine, 1 I am sure was not mine (yellow bees) 3rd a maybe, they are all D+D+M+M at this point (in 8F) all drew 16 frames of foundation.

2 more late,, one early Aug, will need to feed, and one mid july, small, now at 10F also need to feed.

Plan to add the uncapped honey back as 1 10f medium at 3/4 full this week. some supers have frame 1 and 9 only partially capped, I set them all in a box and give to the swarm.

So 5 for the year, had 5 traps out, at 3,1,1,0,0 on a per location basis. plan to leave all queens intact, in 4 , I have not even seen the queens, somewhat a don't care till they make spring,, last 2 swarms have not inspected, verified 1 frame had brood is all. 

Also officially out of gear.....

GG


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## JSneed (Jan 19, 2020)

In the spring I put out 5 boxes. 1 in our yard about 75 yds from the hives,1 at my parents backyard 20 miles from here. 2 in a couple co-workers backyards. 1 at work. And 1 at a neighbors house about a half mile away. Caught 4 swarms in April and May. Caught one swarm in the yard in early July. So 5 in 6 spots. All spots but one produced a swarm. I think the 6th spot would have as well if my co-worker and I could have gotten our schedules together when he first described what sounded to me as scouting. 

Strangely we’ve caught 4 here in the yard in the last 2.5 weeks. Including 1 yesterday at about 9:30 AM. Pretty sure none of the 4 came from our hives. That makes 9 in 6 spots. 😁


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## GregB (Dec 26, 2017)

I picked up an interesting resume from Youtube about 2021 swarm trapping season.
Posting it because

it is a good case to look at the performance of smaller traps vs. larger traps.
a good case about how under-sized are the typical 5-frames nucs when used for swarm trapping.
if you use smaller traps, you are likely missing out on the swarm catches

Let me translate this picture:

total traps - 10.
5 frames in size (deep Dadants) - 5
8 frames in size (deep Dadants) - 5
total swarms caught - 12
5-framers caught swarms - 3
8-framers caught swarms - 9

PS: one 5-framer got stolen (unclear if it caught any swarms before walking away)
PPS: 1 deep Dadant is identical to 2 medium Lang frames, thus:
--> 5 deep Dadants ~ 10 medium Langs 
--> 8 deep Dadants ~ 16 medium Langs
--> do your own math in box sizing, but two 8-frame medium boxes strapped together make a good swarm trap per this case.


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## Gray Goose (Sep 4, 2018)

GregV said:


> I picked up an interesting resume from Youtube about 2021 swarm trapping season.
> Posting it because
> 
> it is a good case to look at the performance of smaller traps vs. larger traps.
> ...


this will depend on the cavity size of the hive casting swarms.
if you are near a person doing 1 deep management or a person doing 3 deep management , or bee trees then you should shift as needed to be sure you are not too small.
Again the surrounding 10 miles of hive size is what you are trying to better understand.
8F is a good starting point, if you have it a feeding rim or empty super Under the trap box (lang) can offer the scouts more options.

GG


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## PFiji (Dec 25, 2016)

Gray Goose said:


> this will depend on the cavity size of the hive casting swarms.
> if you are near a person doing 1 deep management or a person doing 3 deep management , or bee trees then you should shift as needed to be sure you are not too small.
> Again the surrounding 10 miles of hive size is what you are trying to better understand.
> 8F is a good starting point, if you have it a feeding rim or empty super Under the trap box (lang) can offer the scouts more options.
> ...


Thanks for sharing that tidbit of information on the range for swarms. As some starting out in beekeeping this year, catching a swarm is on my bucket list. In my immediate area (2-3 miles) it's going to be only wild bees. At 10 miles though, there is an established keeper 7.5 miles away.


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## Gray Goose (Sep 4, 2018)

PFiji said:


> Thanks for sharing that tidbit of information on the range for swarms. As some starting out in beekeeping this year, catching a swarm is on my bucket list. In my immediate area (2-3 miles) it's going to be only wild bees. At 10 miles though, there is an established keeper 7.5 miles away.


so the 7.5 is doable for a swarm, also the keeper could have lost a few swarms last year or the year before.
they move 4 miles toward you and then they cast a swarm, now that is totally in range.

the established keeper at 10 miles somewhat changes the "wild" to "escaped" all bees need a source, he has many sources. if his bees are doing well then fine and good, getting one from them should work fine..
Do you have any "family or friends" in the 1 to 2 mile range from the established keeper?
if yes that is a good trap site...they would find it faster and there may be several leaving his place, so again more options.

you could even offer if he has a swarm he really does not have need/wooden ware for to give you a call.
I often get to a point where my "stuff" is all filled up. A close person I would rather have my genetics than to bring is a new race, so I have given several away.

many options...

good luck

GG


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## PFiji (Dec 25, 2016)

Gray Goose said:


> so the 7.5 is doable for a swarm, also the keeper could have lost a few swarms last year or the year before.
> they move 4 miles toward you and then they cast a swarm, now that is totally in range.
> 
> the established keeper at 10 miles somewhat changes the "wild" to "escaped" all bees need a source, he has many sources. if his bees are doing well then fine and good, getting one from them should work fine..
> ...


I don't think I've got anyone in that 1-2 mile range, but will definitely do some asking around. There is a ton of state land in that area. I've searched for the legalities of swarm traps on state land in my state, but haven't came up with a definitive answer. Unless he's watering his bees, they are likely using the state land for that need. 

Never actually met or talked to this keeper. I know he builds and sells woodenware. I'm planning on buying a little off him just to support local as well as make a contact with a local experienced person. Will see how the conversation goes at that time.


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## GregB (Dec 26, 2017)

PFiji said:


> I've searched for the legalities of swarm traps on state land in my state, but haven't came up with a definitive answer.


Back when I started with officially asking permission to set traps on the county/state lands.
Pretty much concluded it was more hassle than it was worth it - for both me and the admin.
I even got permission letters, etc, etc.

Most of my state lands allow "animal trapping", while no provision of honey bee trapping is even mentioned (obviously, no one ever thought of that).
So by extention the swarm trapping is kinda/sorta "allowed" - that is my official response if asked now days.

Anymore I just quietly stick my traps in some public places and make sure people can not accidentally find them.
Best do it in the places where people are just not attracted to.
End of story.


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## AR1 (Feb 5, 2017)

GregV said:


> Anymore I just quietly stick my traps in some public places and make sure people can not accidentally find them.
> Best do it in the places where people are just not attracted to.
> End of story.


I got out a bunch of old tag-ends of spray paint and made 'camo' exteriors. 20' off the trail and basically invisible if you are not looking for them.


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## PFiji (Dec 25, 2016)

That's kind of what I'm thinking. There's enough two tracks and trails that I can make a few strategically disappear in that 1-2 mile radius.


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## GregB (Dec 26, 2017)

PFiji said:


> That's kind of what I'm thinking. There's enough two tracks and trails that I can make a few strategically disappear in that 1-2 mile radius.


And you don't have to climb the trees either.
Ground level or your own height level traps work just fine - with proper lure.


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## GregB (Dec 26, 2017)

GregV said:


> I picked up an interesting resume from Youtube about 2021 swarm trapping season.
> 
> total traps - 10.
> ......................
> total swarms caught - 12


And now the same guy also posted a short clip on how exactly he deployed his traps.
Every single trap was just standing on the ground level, hidden in trees.
Hard to beat (10 traps - 12 swarms).
So again, a good example of how to not climb the trees.


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