# Swarm Expert Advice



## Coast back (Jan 18, 2010)

Been around Beekeeping a number of years but not swarm trapping and with the current prices to start a colony this is starting to look good. I have caught swarms in deadouts and those brown pulp paper swarm traps before. I am going to trap in old deeps with drawn deep comb 2 or 3 frames and need to know what is the best wick for Lemongrass Oil ( cotton balls, burlap, cotton balls in a half open zip lock baggie or what?) Entrance direction North,South, East,or West, I'll be running a 1 1/4 entrances with a 3/4 hole cut high, with regular swarm lure and QMP lure. Any successful input would be very helpful. Thanks.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

Four drops on the wood in the hive somewhere works fine. But to measure it accurately and not get too much, I usually use a Q-Tip.


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## Coast back (Jan 18, 2010)

Thanks for the advice MB, When is the best time to get the traps out a month before swarming couple weeks,week ? I guess entrance direction makes no difference.


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## beyondthesidewalks (Dec 1, 2007)

I use cotton balls in 2" sections of drinking straws with about 4 or 5 drops of LGO stapled to the back wall of the box. I try to have my traps out by the end of February. Next weekend is swarm trap weekend at my house. All six members of the family(and hopefully my adult daughter and her boyfriend) will contribute, building boxes and frames, painting, making lures, coating top bars with wax and making shelves to hold the traps. It's a family affair.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>Thanks for the advice MB, When is the best time to get the traps out a month before swarming couple weeks,week ? I guess entrance direction makes no difference. 

Anywhere from a month or two or a day or two before swarm season would work well.  Even the middle of swarm season would still be worth doing..


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## Grant (Jun 12, 2004)

In southeast Missouri, our swarm season starts in late April and dries up (with the nectar) by the 4th of July. I try and get my traps up prior to late April.

http://greatlakesipm.com/pollination.html here is a jug of my secret weapon. A teaspoon or two on a papertowel in a sealed zip lock bag.

Grant
Jackson, MO


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## Adam Foster Collins (Nov 4, 2009)

I'm thinking mid-may to mid-July here in Nova Scotia. The cut-off date isn't that there won't be any more swarms, but that's about the time I want to be making up nucs to winter. I'm not going to be actively be trying to trap more bees after that, so I'll likely bring in the traps and store them at that time for use again the next year.

Adam


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