Relative benefits of nucs and swarm traps for catching swarms

[Ellen]

I've been looking at the papier mache swarm traps sold by brushy mt., but I was wondering whether a styrofoam nuc might not make as good a swarm trap.

Opinions?

Ellen

[livetrappingbymatt]

i've had some swarms just leave my foam nuc. have gone too 5 frame wooden nucs,severs as a trap,nuc,and lots more.
bob

[Brandy]

I agree with the 5 frame wooden nuc. I've used them for traps, hiving swarms, nuc's to park an extra queen, and just yesterday divided a couple for mini mating nuc's with new bottom boards. The dividers are just press fit so at the end of the season I just knock them out and they're ready for "trapping" or whatever.

[beegee]

The only thing I can think of about the papier mache traps is that they look kinda like a big knot(burl) on a tree with a hole that looks attractive to the scout bees. I've had one installed on an oak tree at the local hospital grounds where I caught a large swarm earlier this year...no action so far.

[odfrank]

Why would one want the extra work of dealing with wild comb in a swarm trap? Use nucs with comb.

[Jeffzhear]

Why would one want the extra work of dealing with wild comb in a swarm trap? Use nucs with comb.

I use galvanized electric fence wire put through two holes drilled through the back of my one foot by one foot homemade swarm boxes made out of 3/8th's or 1/2 inch plywood. I can wrap the wire around the back of a tree, 10+ feet up in just a few minutes. The swarm boxes are easy to hang up, unlike NUC boxes which aren't. Any comb the bees make is easily rubber banded into empty frames and inserted into a hive body once you transfer the bees.

I suppose we all have our preferences, mine is handing a box to a friend, asking them to hang it in a tree in their yard 10 feet off the ground facing south or southeast and having them eagerly check it for a few months! Save's me a ton of work...I just show up to pick up the honeybees...