swarm trapping/capturing solutions?

[jpelley]

Alright, here's my problem, I have quite a few hives that like to swarm, but there are large pine trees next to them and most of the swarms like to go to one of the highest limbs out of reach. How can you lure them down? How can you you make something else they might want to rest on to easily catch them? Any tips are appreciated. Thanks

[wildforager]

I would remove that limb. Once there is bee scent on a branch that branch becomes a favorite place for other swarms to land. If thats not an option, then you want a bucket on a telescoping pole. That will be a good thing to catch them into and then lower down and into a hive. Good luck.

[jpelley]

I've cut quite a few limbs to catch the previous swarms and have left them in the tree to try to lure them to that branch down lower bur no luck, they just go higher. I've made a bucket on a pole 15' to 20' long and is already hard to control. There going 30' to 40' up the trees and al the way out on the limbs. Crazy bees.

[wildforager]

Wow

[Rick 1456]

There was some previous chats on this. Two I remember were a 12 gauge shot gun, the branch, not the bees and one used a bow and arrow to shoot a line accross the limb, then tied one of those saw wires and sawed the limb off.
You could try putting your swarm traps well away from your hives(1/4 mile or so) and see if you can lure them that way. I've never had luck catching swarms from my hives in my own yards.

[shannonswyatt]

I guess just cutting down the trees isn't an option. I hear clover is good ground cover!

[tsmullins]

I have quite a few hives that like to swarm, but there are large pine trees next to them and most of the swarms like to go to one of the highest limbs out of reach. How can you lure them down? How can you you make something else they might want to rest on to easily catch them? Any tips are appreciated. Thanks

This probably works easier with large hardwoods, but you can take a fishing rod, cast over said branch. Work the line very close to the swarm. Then haul up a piece of comb, brood comb obviously works better. Sometimes they will move onto the comb. My mentor, Jim Hicks, shared this trick with me.


Shane

[jpelley]

Ended up cutting the branches again. Got two new hives but I still fill bad for the trees.

[FlowerPlanter]

I read you can use a black sock or something similar, put it on the tree where you want the swarm to go. While the swarm is flying around they think the sock is a clump of bees and land on it.

I have tried it but cannot confirm either way.
It's worth a try, it takes 30 seconds to affix to a tree.

[jpelley]

Weird but can't hurt trying it. Thanks

[Chick]

People have different results, but I have placed swarm traps close to swarms that I could not reach, and had them go in the trap. I keep traps around my bee yard, and I catch swarms in them. I guess they come from my hives, but no way to know for sure.