Natural Beekeeping International Forum

[jsallington]

I was planning on putting out a few traps and was just wondering about the best place to put them. I will be setting up my first two hives on my property near a creek and a few apple trees and some gardens. I have another 4 apple trees on the opposite side of the property. Is that a good location? Any tips on what should I be looking for?

[Bugscouter]

jsallington,

Could you add your city to your profile? It sometimes makes a difference in the answers to you questions.

My first year I talked to several property managers and found out that one had paid to spray a swarm the year before. I explained that I would put up a bait box and remove swarms for free. I put the box (including drawn comb and lemon grass lure) in the same location in the same tree and caught five swarms in the spot that year. Good place to start.

Also, check you local sheriff, animal control, and bee associations and see if you can get on a swarm list.

Ron

[andy pearce]

As Ron says use lemongrass oil, it is the best lure along with old comb if you have any. If you don't have any just use the lemongrass oil as getting comb off someone else may lead to disease.

You need a box about 40litres in volume. Tom Seeley did studies on this and found this was a preferred size for swarms. I use two old National supers (similar to a Langstroth hive) strapped together with a ply lid and floor, with frames or top bars, depending what I have handy. The lower super has an entrance hole drilled in it so I can put a wine bottle cork in it when I need to shirt them to their new location. The ones I put further away from home have plastic bee proof mesh floors in case I need to transport them a distance to stop them overheating, I prop them up in the back of the car on batons so air can flow under and drive with all the windows open. With frames it is a little easier as you can have a screen on top but then you have the getting them off the frame headache, which isn't too bad as you can shake them onto a sheet and run them into your hive that way.

It is best to put your bait hives up above six feet, maybe on a flat roof if it does not get to hot or in the fork of a tree. Some people even succeed at ground level. Make sure it is all strapped together solidly. Last year I lured a swarm into a bait hive on my oil tank, then proceeded to drop it onto my head (which nearly flattened me!) then the ground where all mayhem broke loose as I did not have my compression straps pulled tight enough. All ended well though, I put it all back together and have been watching those bees flying strongly today in the winter sunshine.

Good luck with it
A

[jsallington]

Thanks for the input. I grow Lemon balm, it is very similar to lemon grass and very potent. Can I smear that on the trap or should I get the oil?

[andy pearce]

Lemon grass oil works well.
A

[catchercradle]

I am told lemon balm works just as well but the bees around here like to give me the work of collecting them!