# Brood Comb in Swarm Trap Question



## gww (Feb 14, 2015)

*Re: Brood Comb Question*

cr....
I didn't have much brood comb last year. I cut little 2x2 inch squares and put them in for smell and caught three swarms. I believe you can catch with just lemon grass oil. This year I put about a third of a medium comb in each trap. I ran a mouse out of a trap that caught a swarm last year and the mouse had already chewed up the comb where there are only a couple of crumbs in the bottom of the trap. I haven't caught anyting in that trap this year but also did not put more comb in it. I think if I don't catch anything it will be more due to mouse pee then lack of comb. Either way, I won't be able to report more till latter in the year. I had mouse infestation in about 50% of my traps and I emptied them and alread had mice again in two of them. I saw a wasp and bee fighting at the entrance of my trap and the wasp was staying at the entrance and trying to grab bees and also going in the trap. The bees paid very little attention to the wasp and almost knocked it down flying past it. I am convinced now that wasp don't stop bees. I caught that swarm out of a tree before it had a chance to decide to move into one of my traps. You sound like me and are new enough to not have lots of comb laying around. If you know a bee keeper that has had bees for awhile, you may be able to get him to give you a little ruined comb to cut up. I got two from a guy last year. My view is you can catch with out it.
I am new though and last year were my first swarms and I only got 3. Take it for what it is worth.
gww


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## B52EW (Jun 3, 2013)

*Re: Brood Comb Question*

I have good success with just a frame of drawn comb, not comb with actual brood.


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## mathesonequip (Jul 9, 2012)

*Re: Brood Comb Question*

old brood comb? not required, but it helps some.


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## Scott Gough (Dec 10, 2015)

*Re: Brood Comb Question*



mathesonequip said:


> old brood comb? not required, but it helps some.


I agree with this. I have put swarm traps up for the last two years and never put drawn comb in. The first year I had three traps out and caught four swarms. Last year I had about a dozen traps out and caught 8 swarms. LGO works and rub the trap inside with beeswax and propolis if you have any. Proximity to swarming bees is a larger factor than old brood comb in my opinion.


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## FlowerPlanter (Aug 3, 2011)

My best guess is your chances will close double with brood comb. You can still catch swarms without brood comb.

When I first started I had very little comb, some trap had none if I recall most of those did not catch much. I used pieces from a cutout I averaged about 33 percent. The next several years I used one or two full brood frames, I averaged about 50%. Most traps were 5 frame deeps with LGO. A few 10 frame deeps had the same average as 5 frame.


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