# Newbee Trapper



## LeonardS (Mar 13, 2012)

I am new to beekeeping, so I have two new hives and no drawn frames.(also, no bees yet but they are on order) If I want to try and trap a swarm, what should I use......a 5 frame nuc and some swarm attractant? How far away from my hives does the trap need to be? I would like to see if I could catch a swarm.

Any help with setting up a swarm trap would be appreciated!


----------



## enchplant (Apr 10, 2011)

A 5 frame nuc seems to be a good size. You could set up your nuc strapped to a tree in a spot where you see bees foraging, maybe better if there is water around. People say 6-10 feet above the ground. Morning sun afternoon shade. Paint the box camoflage so kids don't notice it. Put some lemon grass oil on tissue in a nearly closed ziploc bac inside the box. A swarm may come. The more boxes you put up the more chances for swarms you get! Best of luck!


----------



## LeonardS (Mar 13, 2012)

Thank you for the reply, I plan to get equipment ordered today. How many frames do you place in your nucs?


----------



## Cleo C. Hogan Jr (Feb 27, 2010)

Leonards...There is a lot of disagreement among beeks on this. I like to put 2, old, dark, brood combs, and then put one frame of starter wax (foundation). This works for me, because during swarm season I check the boxes (I have about 50 out over the county) about once a week. The swarm will work the brood comb, clean the box, begin drawing the frame of foundation, and the queen will start laying. Rarely do they go past the frame of foundation to drop a comb of their own. 

If I overlook a swarm box, or don't check them often enough, and they have already dropped comb, I move the box, place it on top of a deep super filled with frames, and add a bottom board. For this season you will not be able to work the swarm box chamber. Add honey supers as needed. Let them go through the winter and then, next Spring, find the queen in the bottom box and then set the swarm box aside and let the bees rob it out, early in the year. Melt down all the wax they built and sell it.

cchoganjr


----------



## LeonardS (Mar 13, 2012)

Cleo, thank you for the tips. One problem.....I am new to beekeeping, so I have no brood combs, just new boxes and frames. If you were in this position as a beginner, how would you setup and equip your boxes/nucs. Also, would your recommend 10 frame deep super sized boxes or would nucs be adequate? I don't know how I would fasten a 10 frame deep to a tree very easily.

Leonard


----------



## Cleo C. Hogan Jr (Feb 27, 2010)

LeonardS.. Ask around in your area, there must be a bee club somewhere close. Someone will have a few frames of old dark brood comb they will give you. BUT, you don't have to have comb in the swarm trap, it just normally improves your chances. You don't have to have anything in it. Remember, when bees swarm into your house, car, old tank, another tree, they don't have comb waiting for them. I do recommend lemon grass oil. That also just improves your chances, but, I have caught lots of swarms without it also.

I make all my swarm traps out of old, worn out, dilapidated, 10 frame deep supers. But, you can also use two shallow supers, and it will work just as well. The bees won't care, and you will move your frames before they drop comb off the bottom bars anyway. See if you can't find some old used equipment in your area. That is the best for trapping, but new will also work. 

I don't try to place my traps any higher off the ground than I can reach safely, and attach easily. I don't see any difference in higher traps than in lower traps. I use a lot of barrels to set the traps on, so they are approximately 4 feet off the ground. In the hunting woods, I place them in deer stands. (Remove them by the first of September and hunters don't care.) Place them on top of old cars, anything that has been abandoned and will be more than 3 feet off the ground. Put them on stumps where logging has occured. Put them on blown down trees in the woods. Be creative.

Lots of people use nucs for swarm traps, but, I use my nucs for nucs. They will work for all but the super large primary swarms that you often get in early Spring. In this case, I feel that they are too small. But mainly I don't use nucs because I don't have any worn out, and I need them for splits any time I find a queen cell.

Hope this has been helpful, and good luck.

cchoganjr


----------



## LeonardS (Mar 13, 2012)

Cleo, yes your answers are very helpful. Looks to me like I just need to get some traps in the woods and see what happens. I won't get them set this weekend, but hopefully next weekend.


----------

