# Can a swarm high in a tree be lured into a trap?



## marant (Jan 18, 2014)

Just got a call about the first swarm of the season. Went to look, found it out of reach, on a branch high in a pine tree. Homeowner said it had only been there 15-30 minutes. It was the size of the proverbial football, in a tight ball with only a few flying around. 

Since it had only been there a short time and is totally exposed on the branch I am hopeful they are just resting, and still need a place to live.

With no other alternatives, and nothing to lose, I went and got one of my traps, sprayed it with Swarm Commander, and placed it at ground level on top of a pile of wood.

Is it reasonable to expect them to move into the trap, or is that just wishful thinking? Is this a viable procedure if one cannot actually get to the swarm?


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## Hops Brewster (Jun 17, 2014)

reasonable to expect it? No. But _not_ putting a bait hive nearby would certainly not improve the odds of trapping them. So you might have improved the odds. 

OTH, if you use a bow or slingshot to toss a string over the limb, pull a rope up and over with the string, and then use the rope to shake the limb so that the swarm falls onto a tarp that you have carefully laid out below, would improve the odds of catching that swarm even more.


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## nediver (May 26, 2013)

It's certainly possible. 

How high. If a ladder is the issue use a conduit pole attached to bucket with a flange.


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## gww (Feb 14, 2015)

marant
If you could get a rope around the branch and send up a comb of open brood to where it toughed the swarm. They should move to the comb and let you get them to your trap.
I have heard.
gww


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

An old box with some old brood comb, some lemongrass oil and some QMP (either Pseudo Queen or "queen juice" from retired queens in alcohol) has worked for me more often than not.

Another option out in the country is to shoot the branch off... if you have a full choke and it's not too far, a shotgun will do. If not, and you're handy with a rifle, then it's a matter of accuracy (rather than the shot spreading too much)...


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## lemmje (Feb 23, 2015)

Worked for me on a swarm call last year. The swarm was up about 30 feet in a tree and had been there two days. I put down a swarm trap with old comb and LGO and within minutes bees were checking it out. Within 30 minutes the swarm was moving in.


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## marant (Jan 18, 2014)

Well, I gave it a shot with some old comb and a couple of squirts of SC. They were not interested. Went back a couple of days later: Swarm gone, nothing in bait hive. 

Oh well, learned something new anyway, so it was worth the effort.

Thanks, everyone. I will try it again if the situation arises.


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## pink bee man (Feb 24, 2015)

Plastic gutter pipe comes in ten ft sections ,if not 2high bees will slide down the sections hold a bucket at bottom with fram of honey ,if u get most of them rest prob. Fallow . Pipe is pretty lite ,so it's a toss up anyway. Good luck


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## Klattu22 (May 28, 2014)

I have found you can never lure bees where you want them! They go where THEY want to go......I have placed hives 3 feet from a swarm 20 feet up in a tree with comb and LGO smeared inside the hive with no luck. It's disappointing to see a swarm fly off with a new hive right beside them.:scratch:


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