Swarm box

[beegee]

Anybody got a good plan for a swarm box for queen rearing? I understand it should be deeper than a regular nuc and have a screened bottom. Does it have an regular entrance on a bottom board, or what? 4 frames or 5?

[middlesattrefarm]

It seems to me that the one my friends are using is about the equivelent of a 6 frame, and made out of 1X12. It has on 3/4'' auger hole with a screen cover that can be removed. The box also has some screws so you can easily slide the food frames off to the side and slam it back in place FAST. If you are really in a pinch to get started, I have seen people use a standard deep with shallow frames, and pieces of 1'' foam insulation board along the sides, but thats the getto way to go about it.

[Dave W]

Hey! In beekeeping, there is no "getto way" of doing things.

We do what has to be done w/ what we have to work with

[beegee]

I plan to make a 5-frame nuc about 11" deep with a 2" screen panel on one side (or maybe both)at the bottom. I'll have enough room for a division board feeder 2 frames of brood, 2 frames of honey/pollen. I'm also considering using one of Brushy Mt.'s queen castle designs.

[Michael Bush]

The bees are confined. You need a bee tight box with a bee tight lid and lots of ventilation. Room for a sponge soaked in water on the bottom is nice too. If you use mediums (as I do) a deep nuc with screen on the bottom and vents drilled on all sides near the bottom would do. If you use deeps you would probably do better cutting it out of 3/4" plywood and making it an extra 4" deep or so.

[beegee]

Thanks, Michael. That's the sort of info I'm seeking.

[sierrabees]

Anybody got a good plan for a swarm box for queen rearing? I understand it should be deeper than a regular nuc and have a screened bottom. Does it have an regular entrance on a bottom board, or what? 4 frames or 5?

I'm confused about what you mean by a Swarm Box. Are you talking about a box for starting queen cells, or do you mean a box for shaking bees into to stock breeding nucs?

[Michael Bush]

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesbetterq...Starter%20Hive