Beesource Beekeeping Forums banner

Behavior around swarm traps

19K views 56 replies 9 participants last post by  minz 
#1 ·
I put a trap in an area where I had seen bee activity before. Single used deep with three well used frames of comb. Today, I saw a lot of bees coming in and entering the box. Not regular hive activity, but either investigative, or local bees harvesting some tidbits. No honey in the frames. Can you differentiate between the two behaviors? What would I look for if there is an observable difference? Seems like the bees are checking things out but might just be trying to locate the "goodies".
Thoughts
Thanks
 
#27 ·
I thought of doing it that way. My reasoning for not, was they were calm. I figured the air would bee full of angry bees had I shaken them . Obviously, 20/20 it would have worked either way. I had the cotton string, not rubber bands. I think the RBs would be easier.
Thanks for watching :)
 
#28 ·
I hate rubber bands for splicing comb...if the string works, stick with it...I ended up having to throw out a good bit of comb because the bees chewed off too many of the rubber bands before they got the comb glued into the frame. ...just my experience, but it was quite a mess!
On a similar note, I just picked up some hardware cloth yesterday...think I'll be making a few frames with the hardware cloth attached permanently on one side, then just tacked on at the bottom of the other side. Then when I want to splice in some comb, I can just open, insert comb, then tie the open side shut, or put a couple staples into the top corners...only drawback is it'll be impossible to remove the HW cloth without destroying the comb later, so those combs won't be able to be transferred into my sloped-side TBH hives (unless I spend about 5x as much time building the "keystone" frames, instead of the quicker, square ones)...if you're using all Lang. equipt, I don't see that as really being much of an issue though.
 
#29 ·
Robherc,
Apprceiate the comment on the string. I hadn't thought the RBs would be an issue but I can see why the bees might want that "rubber stuff" out quick. The string I used is a heavy cotton. I'll stick with the string, and the heavier stuff instead of kite string just for the reason you gave, it will last a little longer. I use 20lb test fishing line through the frames. I want to be able to cut Q cells or egg strips for queen rearing down the road.
Thanks
 
#32 ·
No, it is a cotton string. Very strong, very small. I used it in manufacturing rigged fishing worms for years, then started using it for wrapping brood comb. I start one nail on the inside of the top bar, wrap the brood about every four inches across to the other side, go around the top bar and end bar, then come back, splitting the middle, across to the nail and tie off. This string is available at WalMart, is not expensive.

cchoganjr
 
#34 ·
Rick 1456... I found a spool of the twine that still had the data on it. It says:

BEACON EXTRA STRENGTH PARCEL POST TWINE 8 ply 300ft. (100) yards, and the price......Are you ready for this???.. A whopping 69 cents plus tax is printed on the data wrapper, but the sales sticker says, 43 cents. It also says, Distributed by. Schermerhorn Brothers Company, Los Angeles Calif 90023 ART 41849

I sold the lure company in 1985, so the twine is at least 27 years old. I googled Schermerhorn Brothers Company and they are still in business. I did not search to see if they still distribute the parcel post twine.

cchoganjr
 
#37 ·
You now what,,,,,,those containers may just be the cats meow:) They are huge. Bee hives on top, create access from below, storage inside, no mowing issues, man cave, and I don't think they are that expensive.
A small apartment for times when home life is,,,,,,,,,,,,,troubled:)
Thanks
 
#39 ·
Wow, really highlights the differences between my AHB swarms and "normal" feral bees. First, I was shocked when your lifting the cover wasn't greeted by a loud hiss from the exasperated bees, then by the near total lack of bees on the top bars/lid (mine are almost always packed in there SOLID...not sure why). With my hives, by time you started smoking those bars, you likely would've had nearly 100 stingers already lodged in your gloves, and every time I move a bar/frame my gloves get COVERED in stinging bees, lol (makes me glad I have new, NON-AHB queens ordered lol....). Also, my AHB swarms each filled 16-17 bars (equivalent to 21-24 deep Lang. frames) in their first 5 weeks, fairly regardless of swarm size.

I'm quite jealous of your ability to work your hive so easily, but at the same time, like having the faster build-up...interesting differences. Overall, your inspection looked like it went quite well to me, now let's see how quickly they fill that second box :)
 
#43 ·
odfrank...You have been my hero, and now you are advocating inner covers????? WHY???cchoganjr
I noticed he had to pry pretty hard to get the TC open. In my local we have a year round flow and hundreds of different types of trees to produce propolis. Covers are combed down, braced down, burred down and propolized down. Even migratory covers require some firm prying to get them open. A telescoping cover with no inner cover in my neck of the woods would be a fool's game. This is a typical brood chamber at my main site, and notice those frames are not old:
 
#44 ·
If you look at the video again, you can see the beginnings of exactly what OF is talking about. Bees are going to "seal" things up. I have some hives that glue the inner cover down pretty good. I know some beeks don't use them. I may not for a time, but once the population grows, I normally get one on there.:)
 
#45 ·
odfrank...Rick 1456.....PLEASE don't take this as a criticism, but if you are getting frames glued to the inner cover or migratory cover, (other than the seal around the box edge), then there is improper bee space. (Maybe old or ill fitting equipment??? I never use an inner cover, and rarely have glueing except at the edge. I often use a telescoping cover, (perhaps 75 -100 right now) but no inner cover, and by starting at the side, and proper angle on the hive tool, the top comes right off.

Perhaps locale accounts for this, and the amount of propolis available in this area is not as intense as in yours.

I was just asking. odfrank, you are still my hero. Anyone who catches that many swarms each year is doing something right. You catch more swarms each year than there are colonies of bees, (with the exception of mine) in this entire area. I have out about 35 swarm traps, caught 7 so far. Our feral bees were just about wiped out back in the late 1990's, they are making a come back now.

cchoganjr
 
#48 ·
if you are getting frames glued to the inner cover or migratory cover, (other than the seal around the box edge), then there is improper bee space.
My bees don't care about bee space. 1/8", 1/4", 5/32", 3/8'...fill that gap with some wax and quit hiding and goofing off on top of the inner cover. Put some comb up there also.
 
#46 ·
No problem,,,,,I make my own stuff so your observations are most likely correct. My thoughts are the dimensions given to build your own stuff incorporates an inner cover in the mix. Leave that off and the glueing begins.:) An inner cover creates additional bee space so the edges are what are sealed making entry less of a hassle. Just my thoughts.
 
#47 · (Edited)
Rick 1456. You are correct. Unfortunately all companies do not use the same bee space procedure. Some make top, some make bottom. If beekeepers interchange these boxes, covers, and inner covers, they can get a lot of glue, burr comb, etc.

I make all my equipment, plus what I sell, and mine are made for a flat top, migratory top, or inner cover that is all flat bottom. If the underside of the inner cover is indented, ( as most used to be years ago) they tend to glue it together, because of the additional space between the top bars and the recessed bottom of the inner cover..

My biggest complaint with inner covers is small hive bettles.

cchoganjr
 
#53 ·
Bee race seems to have a role in propoplis amounts. Mine are pretty much Mutts at this point but I see big differences propolis amounts between the ones I have. The swarm in the video was responding, to a certain extent, to some ants that were taking up residence on the top of the frames. Put a circle of cinnamon around the hive. Repels the ants for a while at least.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top