# Trap hive plans



## Hive Onthehill (Jun 11, 2011)

Looking for a trap box plan. Small entrance hole or a full opening like normal hive entrance? 5 frame? 8 frame? Or a full 10? 
Also is a deep better than a medium? Drawn frames? Foundation? Or foundation less?

Thanks for any tips in advance.


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## sakhoney (Apr 3, 2016)

I just leave extra equipment outside under a top - boxes of foundation & sometime comb - they will hive there self on it


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## Hive Onthehill (Jun 11, 2011)

What would you do if you see some that you believe are wild bees away from you apiary?


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## sakhoney (Apr 3, 2016)

I have several bee yards and leave empty's in all of them to catch swarms in - Some of the swarms I catch I am sure are mine - some not - some people use lures - I don't but I'm not needing the swarms that bad - but if they hive there self then WTH.


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## Daniel Y (Sep 12, 2011)

10 frame deep, preferably with drawn brood comb. Entrance reduced to 3 sq. inches. Swarm commander.


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

Just use empty equipment that you already have. If you choose to make a trap, make the box so that it is interchangable with you permanent hive equipment.

A single deep is very close to the 40 liter optimum trap size that Thomas Seeley found in this study:
https://ecommons.cornell.edu/bitstream/handle/1813/2653/Bait Hives for Honey Bees.pdf


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## Hive Onthehill (Jun 11, 2011)

Thanks for the tips. I appreciate the responses and I'll try it. Wait and see I guess.


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## Fishmaster50 (Apr 30, 2015)

Had them all out there and they all got filled this week. Had SC in them. Totally amazed I bought bees. Got 4 in boxes and 3 swarms. A good year so far!!!!


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## sakhoney (Apr 3, 2016)

I hear ya I catch between 10/40 every year just by leaving them boxes out


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## BEK71 (Jun 6, 2015)

I made 3 of these. They are 8 frame deep dimensions with the hanger added. The entrance is 1.75" with a metal entrance disc to close up the entrance when moving. Two of the three have attracted swarms. 

I painted them a dark brown (even though most things I read say to use old wood & not paint), they still worked. 

As you can see in the picture the hanger hole is small there, but I later enlarged it to 2" so I could saw off a small limb & just slip the hanger over it, instead of putting a big nail in the tree as the original directions suggested.


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## FlowerPlanter (Aug 3, 2011)

I know T Seeley shows they prefer 40 liter size and I am sure they do. Most of what I catch are feral survivors not sure if that makes a difference or not. But I made mine 5 frame deep put one or two brood comb to the outside positions and empty foundationless between. I set up a few 10 frame boxes and noticed no difference in %. With all other things equal the thing that I notices that made a difference was the highth, the higher I went in a tree (up to 20 ft) the better % I caught. 

http://beesource.com/build-it-yourself/5-frame-nucleus-beehives/

http://beesource.com/build-it-yourself/5-frame-nuc-d-coates-version/


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## Hive Onthehill (Jun 11, 2011)

Looking at the one BEK made I'm wondering now if the entrance hole is the only opening or is there another vent anywhere else?


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## popeye (Apr 21, 2013)

I had no luck with 5 frame deep nice I made to use for traps but could also use as much boxes a couple years ago. But when I doubled the 5 frame nucs to two stories with a drawn comb up top excellent results.
Now I just leave extra equipment such as a 10 frame deep with a drawn comb in my home yard. The double nucs in my out yards in case any of mine swarm(zero so far). I have a 8 frame deep (a trap out box) too that caught a swarm. I'm not after extra bees but will take them. Caught three swarms in them this season. The double nucs and 8 frame. I put a couple drops of lemon grass oil too.
For traps I want my hole size big enough to fit my oxalic vaporizer into. I treat them for mites before they seal their brood. So I just leave full standard openings on my boxes.
Some people catch them in 5 frame single nucs but I never have yet. I do leave a couple around with some drawn comb but no takers.


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## popeye (Apr 21, 2013)

Word auto correct got me a couple times above on the word Nucs which went to nice


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## popeye (Apr 21, 2013)

Also fill rest of boxes with frames with a starter strip for foundation. I'll put a few foundation frames on outside but have starter strips in middle with drawn comb.


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## BEK71 (Jun 6, 2015)

Hive Onthehill said:


> Looking at the one BEK made I'm wondering now if the entrance hole is the only opening or is there another vent anywhere else?


It's the only hole.


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## BEK71 (Jun 6, 2015)

popeye said:


> Also fill rest of boxes with frames with a starter strip for foundation. I'll put a few foundation frames on outside but have starter strips in middle with drawn comb.


I filled mine with frames that had Plasticell in them (one with drawn comb) & the swarms did not mind moving in.


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## Rick 1456 (Jun 22, 2010)

Couple of mine from this year. I use two five frame deeps most of the time. I find them easier to mount than std ten frame side by side although no difference in success rates as mentioned. Anything to make your box "the perfect new home" is an advantage. In the bees "mind" it is a competition to pick the best of the choices. Old comb, lemon grass oil, no cracks in box especially at the top, lived in before so it smells like home, and direction entrance faces are all important to the bees as I have found. Shape of entrance not so important but one inch or slightly larger has been successful for me. The camo looking box has a square entrance. The plain wooden one has a one inch circle entrance. 
Never caught one in a single five frame but have in double eight frame deeps and one in double ten frame. Last one was pure accident. Left it in my drive way empty on Friday afternoon, Went out Sat. morning and came back in the afternoon to find a swarm in the box. That was 2010. Still have that hive going 
My fav part of beekeeping 
Rick


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## crmauch (Mar 3, 2016)

Here is a link to a bait hive plan:
http://www.horizontalhive.com/how-to-build/swarm-trap-free-plans.shtml

Here's using a copy box:
https://cheapbeekeeping.wordpress.com/

Several ideas for bait hives:
https://augustcottageapiary.wordpress.com/2015/03/26/freebees/

Another bait hive page:
http://www.davesbees.com/Baithives.html

Bait hives in Honduras:
http://musingsonbeekeeping.blogspot.com/2016/03/musings-about-swarms-and-trap-hives.html

And you can buy one from the makers of the beevac:
http://beevac.com/swarm-traps/


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## perrywinkle (Feb 21, 2016)

I made the above link horizontal trap and caught 5 swarms in 4 traps in short order, 3 to 5 days all full with bees


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