# 1st Swarm trap success.



## Grant (Jun 12, 2004)

I think you're on the right track of setting the trap where the hive will be, giving them some time to reorient. You won't know until you open it up. It may all be good! However, my experience with foundationless frames has been that slow migration to the adjacent frame(s) so I've only used them between frames of drawn comb and enjoyed great success.

If the migration is too great to remove the frames without turning the event into a cut out, I'd leave the trap as is, remove the top/lid and simply set another 8-frame hive body on top of it. I would anticipate the bees moving upward, but frames with drawn comb or regular foundation would facilitate this easier than stocking the hive body with more foundationless frames. While applaud your use of foundationless frames, they have drawbacks but provide an exceptional educational experience!

Eventually, overtime, probably not until next year, the bees will move up and leave the bottom box/trap and you can clear out that cross comb.

Hope it all goes well. I use six-frames in my swarm traps and have toyed with the experimental use of eight-frames since I picked up a few deep hive bodies along the way. I am also intrigued by a couple of ingenious beekeepers who are making their traps from two, eight-frame mediums.

All the best,

Grant
Jackson, MO https://www.createspace.com/4106626

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## flyin-lowe (May 15, 2014)

I don't necessarily plan on using all foundationless frames. When I was building the traps I thought (that can be dangerous) that a larger open area would be more appealing to bees looking for a new home. I can't remember now if I read that or dreamed it up but I was figuring it would be a bad idea to fill it full of foundation. So I put 1 drawn frame in the middle and FL for the rest. I figured if I caught a swarm after only a week or so I could transfer a frame or two over to the hive and then fill it with foundation frames. Time will tell how things will be in the trap. I am hoping for the best and expecting the worst.


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## GaryG74 (Apr 9, 2014)

There was an article in the March 2015 issue of American Bee Journal by Dr Leo Sharashkin about swarm traps. He recommends using foundation less frames in swarm traps based on Thomas Seeley's writings in Honeybee Democracy. The bees measure the inside of the tentative new home by walking the interior and flying from wall to wall. FL frames give the impression the trap hive is larger than would seem with all foundation or drawn frames. I put up one trap hive made to the specifications in the article. I couldn't contact the landowner to check the trap hive until about three months after putting it up. She said it was full of bees. Short story: the bees had built six perfectly straight frames and had built six perfectly straight combs under the frames from the bottoms. The trap hives are 19 9/16" deep so there was plenty of room. I got lucky this time at least.


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## flyin-lowe (May 15, 2014)

I would be thrilled to fined drawn comb straight down the FL frames. The first swarm I caught (not in a trap, but shaken from a tree) was putt into a box that had some FL frames. I was impressed one week later when they had the frame drawn perfect all the way down. Of course I had those set between to foundation frames so they had some guidance.


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## aunt betty (May 4, 2015)

Caught a big swarm Sunday and it's filled a 10-frame deep full of combs. Did put one frame of open larva from another colony to anchor the swarm so call it 9. Adding another deep today. Where they think they're going? I don't know but they seem to be getting nectar somewhere. Robbing maybe. 
Go with the flow and be ready to feed them next month or so. 

You might go early, look for a virgin queen before you move the hive. Imagine moving it right after she takes off for mating. (ouch) It's a possibility. Might inspect, look for eggs, and queen, then decide your next move.


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## flyin-lowe (May 15, 2014)

We had heavy rain all day today so I wasn't able to go get them. My plan is to go at daylight tomorrow morning and bring them to the bee yard. This trap is about 7 foot up on a tree and the plywood top is screwed down, I didn't really plan on opening it up until I got them back to the yard. Once I get them back I was going to uncover the trap entrance for a couple days. Is it necessary to put any grass or anything to slow them down a little at the new location. The new location is 8-10 miles from where they are at right now.


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## flyin-lowe (May 15, 2014)

I went out this morning before work right at day light. I feel the bees have been in there for a while. The box was very heavy so I am assuming it was loaded with bees and stores. I would guess the box weighed 30 lbs plus. It was pretty cool out this morning for this time of year, low 60's. I drove the trap to my yard and opened it up. The few bees that flew out looked like they were doing orientation flights. There was a lot of bees huddling around the entrance from the inside. Slowly a few at a time were coming out. My others hives were not really active yet either. I plan to go over tomorrow sometime and transfer them to a permanent deep box, assuming the comb is not a total disaster.


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## flyin-lowe (May 15, 2014)

I went and opened the trap this morning. Things started a little discouraging as far as comb is concerned but got better. There was a lot of bees beerding this morning. All the frames in the trap were drawn and loaded with bees. The comb collapsed on the first two frames I pulled. They were the two furthest from the entrance. The next six I was able to get out and drop right in the new box. One of the collapsed frames had brood in it the other was honey/nectar/pollen. I replaced the two collapsed frames with rite cell. I went ahead and put another 8 frame deep on top with foundation. I left the couple of pieces of collapsed comb and took it to my house about a half mile away and left it outside. Bees are all over it this afternoon cleaning it out.


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## beestudent (Jun 10, 2015)

wow! nice catch! here's an idea> I would use 4-frame nucs, with 2 very old combs (I've got a lot since i bought 2 boxes off an old beek, the frames are pretty much useless though, wax mothed) and 2 foundation less except for a starter strip, and I would think they would use this, but I don't know. you could use 2 boxes easy enough... it would be slightly lighter.


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## flyin-lowe (May 15, 2014)

A friend of mine told me his dad used to be a beek and stored all his equipment in his barn about 10 years ago and he told me I could have all his equipment. Im hoping to build traps with these boxes. I won't know until I see them. I was checking my traps every week but I got busy in July and was out of the state for two weeks so it was just over a month since my lest check. I am guessing they moved in a month ago because this 8 frame trap was full.


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## CreamPuffFarm (Apr 28, 2011)

Wow, that's awesome. I hope my swarm trap someday looks like that. Good score.


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## flyin-lowe (May 15, 2014)

Thanks, going into July I was a little down. I only had one hive and it was not doing the greatest this summer. Then the last three weeks I have gotten three swarms. Two from a tree and one in this trap. I had 5 traps set since April, caught 1 swarm. Now if I can get one or two of them through the winter I will be happy. This swarm and the first one appear real good at this point Both with laying queens. The middle one either has a virgin queen or no queen at all. I added queen cell, will know in a couple weeks how that turned out.

I would like to get about 20 or so swarm traps out next year. I just got 7 pretty old 10 frame hives that a guy had in his barn for about 15 years. They are old and dusty but I think I am going to make swarm traps out of the 10 frame deeps.


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