How Often Does Your Trap Get Stolen?

[Adam Foster Collins]

Or vandalized?

I'm preparing 8 frame deep boxes for traps this spring, and as I think of filling them with frames, I wonder how likely it is that I will lose them.

Now, of course losing the box must have something to do with where it is placed and how many people are around, but generally speaking, how often do you have your traps stolen, vandalized or otherwise damaged?

What steps do you take to minimize such incidents from occurring?

Thanks,

Adam

[odfrank]

I don't think I have had any stolen or vandalized out of 70 plus set out. I only place them on private properties with the owners permission. Several were in a front yards and possibly visible with no interference.

[Michael Bush]

I've never had them stolen. I have had them vandalized. I learned to camouflage them better...

[EastSideBuzz]

Never had them stolen. Seemed to forget where a few of them are though.

[Adam Foster Collins]

As for camouflage, do you make any effort to highlight the entrance in come visual way? Or could you pretty much hide the entire thing and depend on smells to get the bees to find it? How to remain visible to bees, yet invisible to people?

Adam

[Grant]

I've not had any stolen or vandalized. I had an empty trap knocked down by some kids, perhaps using a stick to poke it off the nail. It hit the ground and the excitement was apparently over. Maybe the wind took it down.

I paint my hives dark brown to blend in with the trees. I deliberately try to make them obscure. Our swarm season ends around the 4th of July. No need to leave them up any longer so down they come and back into storage or I use them for queen mating nucs.

Grant
Jackson, MO

[Michael Bush]

>As for camouflage, do you make any effort to highlight the entrance in come visual way?

No.

>Or could you pretty much hide the entire thing and depend on smells to get the bees to find it?

Lemongrass essential oil is the key. Have you ever tried to find an entrance to a hollow tree?

> How to remain visible to bees

Not necessary.

[Charlie B]

I only place them on private properties with the owners permission.

[beyondthesidewalks]

I've only lost one trap when the tree on which it was mounted fell in a straight line wind or tornado.

I used to paint mine dark brown to help hide them but the Texas heat made that a bad idea. Had a few swarms move in and then promptly abscond. Now I paint them white or a very light pastel color with no issues. There's probably a very good reason that white has been the preferred color of beehives over the years. In Nova Scotia I don't think you would have that problem.

All of my traps are on private property, away from the street, road or highway in very rural or small town locations. I make no attempt to hide them but the property owner in almost every case wants the swarm trap there to attract swarms so they can call the crazy bee guy to come get the bees. They see it as a form of protection from the bees where I have removed a swarm or done a cut out in the past. Answering swarm or cutout calls is the best way to find swarm trap locations in my experience. The bees sell the swarm trap idea for you and you know there are bees in the area.