# Swarm box density



## Riskybizz (Mar 12, 2010)

I have been putting out swarm boxes for many years and its a funny thing. You will get swarms that will move into the least likely of places (at least from a humans perspective). Last year I think I set out 12 swarm boxes with old comb frames and some lemon grass oil for good measure. I only caught 3. Last year I think I caught 7. It will vary year to year depending on the weather. I always place a few around each of my own yards. Just for the heck of it I stuck one up on my garage roof last year in the city. Guess what? A swarm liked that location. Depending on how many your planning on putting out a half mile apart seems reasonable. Good luck.


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## GaryG74 (Apr 9, 2014)

Some spots are better than others of course. If you catch a swarm, put another swarm trap in the same spot as quickly as you can. A particular tree can be a swarm magnet while one just a few yards away will never hold a swarm.
There's a book, "Swarm Traps and Bait Hives" by McCartney Taylor, that gives a lot of good info. It's available from Rossman Apiaries, 1-800-333-7677. www.GAbees.com


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## jadebees (May 9, 2013)

One year I put 8 spare hives, set up, with swarm lure on about 1/10 th acre at home. I got 4 swarms. I take 2 to any remote location, 25-50 ft. apart. If one or both catch, I'll return with 2 more. Locations can be 100 yards apart if you wish. It's the bees decision, & they pick what they want.


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## Maddy (Jan 20, 2014)

GaryG74 said:


> There's a book, "Swarm Traps and Bait Hives" by McCartney Taylor, that gives a lot of good info.


I came thisclose to ordering the book, but the reviews I read across the Web pretty much panned it as being a "vanity" publication. 55 pages, with huge margins to pad the thickness, and no really new or special tips. Several critics stated that everything in the book, sparse as that was, could be found in more depth on YouTube and the Internet.

BeeSource alone can fit that bill - The several discussions I have studied here have been invaluable, and we are looking forward to Spring Swarm "fishing..." 

Do any of you have the book? Are the armchair critics too harsh, or is it a piece of fluff printing, as has been alleged?
~M


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## jadebees (May 9, 2013)

I sold my swarm lure formula years ago. All the important stuff for instructions fit on 1 side of a sheet of paper. The little give-away book I put wrote for local markets was 8 pages and very thorough. With pictures even. Made on my printer. But, you do what your publishers say, if you want to be published. Seems I should release that as an e- book. Ya, thats priority #742, on my list of things to do.


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## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

Density of swarm traps all depends on location. I have known bee trees where I will place 5 - 6 traps and get a 75% or so success rate. If I place traps in an unknown area, I will place 2 - 3 to "troll" for bees. Oddly enough, I catch more bees in an old inner city location than anywhere else. I attribute this to all the older homes in the area with established hives within the walls. Most homeowners are unaware of the hives until they swarm out the following spring. "Home" hives have the best chance of winter survival as the hive has some heat from the residence most often. 
Every year without fail, I will get at least 5-6 late (August) removal calls from homes in which I will place a few swarm traps at each location in the spring. Most often, I will catch swarms from them before I get the chance to remove the established hive.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I would spread them out until you catch a swarm. Then I would put three times as many there. If you catch one, you may catch more. If you catch none, there is no point leaving them there the next year. It's mostly about location. Find good locations and you'll catch a lot of swarms. Good lure, old boxes, right size etc. are helpful, but location is the most important thing. You're "fishing" for swarms...


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## JConnolly (Feb 21, 2015)

Michael Bush said:


> If you catch one, you may catch more.


Forgive me for hauling up an old thread, but I like that advice. Someone called me last April to remove a nice sized swarm last year. I think I'll call them and ask if I can put a swarm box in the same place. I've got four new swarm boxes I'm looking for places to put.


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