swarm traps

[jaydee]

I am new to beekeeping and saw an add in Mann Lake for Swarm traps and swarm lures. Has anyone used these with any success? What time of year is best? How often do you add swarm lure?

[Tia]

The first year I lost swarms because they were so high in the tree. Last year, I tried the swarm trap. All three of last year's swarms still went to the same place in the tree. I've become very good at balancing on a ladder with a box in one hand!

[mark williams]

I've had real good luck using the lure's,But I've never used the trap's.just empty hive's & also box's that I've made because of the weight.
The place I've used them has alot of bee's.place them in the early spring,& just leave them.I've caught as many as 3 swarm's using the same lure.
There is some on here that make their own lure.So maybe they will be someone here that will explain how to make it.Mark

[Michael Bush]

I haven't bought the hives either. I've used plastic MDA splitter boxes and nucs. I have bought the lures and I've used Lemongrass essential oil. I think they both work as well, but the lure lasts longer and costs more. I just put a few drops of the Lemongrass essential oil is on the top bars but it doesn't have a plastic vial to keep it evaporating at a slow steady rate. You can also add a 1/4 of a Bee Boost (QMP) if you like. It also seems to help. If you drop your old queens in a jar of alcohol, you can use a few drops of that for QMP instead of the Bee Boost.

It is a crap shoot. It's like fishing. If you find a good location or locations you'll get a lot of swarms. If you don't, you may not get any. I try to put them eight feet up in a tree. More is probably better, but it's too much work. [img]smile.gif[/img]