# Scout bees measuring my swarm trap



## bevy's honeybees (Apr 21, 2011)

One way I know it is scouts vs scavenger bees there to clean out the comb frame I've put in, is that once I put a bait box out and it goes plenty of days without seeing any bees at the hive, and then suddenly there are bees going in and out, I know it's likely a swarm will be moving in within a few days. Usually by the next day if I see a lot of scouts. I too have seen them communicating with one another at the entrance. I have also had them scout for a few days and then disappear but most of the time a swarm moves in. It is so much fun to watch the process. Have fun!


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## tomkat (Apr 27, 2014)

I agree with the last post. My yard is real close so I visit many time a day. Just last week scouts were out at the trap. SATURDAY a swarm had moved in.


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## RLBrooks (Apr 25, 2014)

I've kept bees for about ten years now, but this is the first year trapping swarms. It's a blast! I've caught four swarms in a trap hanging on the same tree this spring already and I just moved a swarm to my home apiary tonight. I have several other traps I haven't checked in over a week around a couple of my out yards, so I may have another swarm or two when I go look tomorrow. None of my swarms have been really big, but they are gentle and working like the devil and they are building up pretty fast. Coming out of the winter, I had eleven hives to start the spring with and I'm trying to catch enough swarms and do a few splits so I can go into winter with about twenty two good hives which will give me a chance to go into next spring with at least twenty. Trying to build up to enough colonies to give me a bigger harvest than just the dozen hives I've had for several years. But I have a pretty good time catching these swarms of survivors.


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

Surprisingly, a good sign of a potential swarm arriving is when they fight and kill each other.


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## challenger (May 27, 2009)

odfrank said:


> Surprisingly, a good sign of a potential swarm arriving is when they fight and kill each other.


Could you expound on this please? This is what is going on at a trap box I have set up. I thought perhaps it was two different swarm vying for the same trap. Why would scout bees from the same swarm fight?
Thanks


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## shannonswyatt (May 7, 2012)

Multiple swarms looking at the site. I've seen that this year on a hive in my yard. The scouts were very defensive to other bees.


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## flyin-lowe (May 15, 2014)

RLBrooks said:


> I've kept bees for about ten years now, but this is the first year trapping swarms. It's a blast! I've caught four swarms in a trap hanging on the same tree this spring already and I just moved a swarm to my home apiary tonight. I have several other traps I haven't checked in over a week around a couple of my out yards, so I may have another swarm or two when I go look tomorrow. None of my swarms have been really big, but they are gentle and working like the devil and they are building up pretty fast. Coming out of the winter, I had eleven hives to start the spring with and I'm trying to catch enough swarms and do a few splits so I can go into winter with about twenty two good hives which will give me a chance to go into next spring with at least twenty. Trying to build up to enough colonies to give me a bigger harvest than just the dozen hives I've had for several years. But I have a pretty good time catching these swarms of survivors.


I know people say to set a trap back at the same location if you catch swarm. As I newbie I never really understood, do swarms from different locations find the same spot? or is the original hive swarming multiple times. If that latter, is there an easy way to tell I the swarm you caught is a secondary swarm? as I assume there would be no queen after the initial swarm. Does a secondary swarm still bring I pollen, etc like you are supposed to look for?


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## S4 basics (Mar 15, 2014)

I believe if the conditions are right that there is a waiting line forming. Case in point.... Set a trap at place of work 5-17. Pulled a swarm out 5-20. Reset it 5-23, pulled swarm out 5-26, reset and swarm arrived that afternoon. Transferred them and reset today at 9am. Rain stopped at 2pm and .... You guessed it. They must have showed up at 3 because about 4 I went out and there they were. I will be putting up a box when I pull that one Monday.


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## flyin-lowe (May 15, 2014)

So I am assuming there was not a queen in the all the swarms? Just the first one?


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## shannonswyatt (May 7, 2012)

There should always be a queen in a swarm. There are often many. What happens on the prime is the old queen leaves, then when the swarms cells emerge you often have the first queen kill the others and they don't cast swarms, but if two or more queens are in the hive you will normally have a secondary swarms.


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## flyin-lowe (May 15, 2014)

OK, that makes sense


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## Reef Resiner (Jun 9, 2015)

I have scouts teasing one of my boxes. It's literally been going on since April 1st (go figure). First sight there was about 50 bees. They been at it for a week measuring the box. Then suddenly disappeared for about a day last week. Just yesterday I seen 100's if not thousands doing the same routine on the box... It's a bit of a drive to check the trap every day but will be checking it in a few days. I'm guessing this is normal scout behavior with the wait?


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## cerezha (Oct 11, 2011)

I add a few drops of lemon grass oil on top of few the frames - it worked very well for me.


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## nwbell469 (Aug 6, 2015)

Got scouts checking my trap at home hoping it's not to small 5 frame nuc, how long will they hag around till the bring in a swarm?


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## Reef Resiner (Jun 9, 2015)

They are all clumped up on the bottom of my box (wish i knew how to send pics). Now what? Should I put them in different box or wait for them to make the next move?


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## Reef Resiner (Jun 9, 2015)

It took them 17 day for them to come to mine. I don't know if that's the norm. I've heard they will take 5 frames but prefer 10 frames or a "double 5 frame" stacked on eachother. Best of luck!


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