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11K views 36 replies 10 participants last post by  linn 
#1 ·
So i got complete hive, i repainted it it has frame and stuff, so i got hive because that in my village house is lots of flowers and almost all bees of neighboors coming to us, so i thinked why i should not i have bees... so question is, if i will place hive in garden and make good conditions (lots of flowers around hive and water containers) when bees will found it they will make new home there right? i heared about that but not sure, is it right? and how many time it can take? thanks for reading, question is little bit odd but please answer :D.
 
#2 ·
Welcome to Beesource!

Yes, if you offer a home for bees that they find attractive a swarm of bees might just move in. You may be able to improve the chances of this happening if you can put a few drops of lemongrass oil in the hive, and/or old comb.

If you have a way to do so, I would try to get the box (called a swarm trap here) up higher than a hive normally would be. My swarm traps are about 7 feet of the ground where I can find a tree or other object to support them.

The more swarm traps you can place, the better chances you have of getting a swarm. Traps do not have to be the same quality of materials as a permanent hive. In some cases even a waxed cardboard box is suitable for a swarm trap. After the bees have moved in, they can be moved to the permanent hive.
 
#3 ·
What you are talking about is called catching a swarm. It happens a lot, but conditions need to be such that the bees find your hive attractive to them.

One thing they like is the sent of brood from bees that lived there previously. Does your hive have some old honey comb that the former queen has used to lay eggs and raise brood in? That will help. It also helps, but may not be necessary, if the trap (your hive) is located some distance off the ground. About 10 feet is good.

Good luck!
 
#4 ·
Hm thanks for answers! :) but i dont get one thing, by trap you guys mean another... thing...? or trap is just empty hive which i want to fill with bees? i mean i have only one hive neighboors given me it has frames and stuff, will be any problem if i will just follow reccomendations and use hive as trap..? so i will place hive at bunch of flower field (there is lots of worker bees flying around) also hive is newly painted on light blue, it will be effective right? im too new so im confused :).
 
#5 ·
For us, a "trap" is a box that may not be in a permanent place, and may be a different size than a permanent hive, intended to catch a swarm. Traps are anything that has an enclosed dark space, but it is much better to be able to put frames in the trap.

You might want to read some of the threads about "swarm traps" in the "Swarms, Trap-out and Cutouts" forum. Here's an interesting one:

http://www.beesource.com/forums/sho...s-Odfrank-Swarm-Trap-Models-2013-year-model-1
 
#10 ·
Nick

Put a little honey in the hive box. Maybe bees will move in. But, better to tell people you are looking for a swarm, like this. Get any cardboard box and shake bees into it, then shake the bees into your hive.

You can never know when swarm will come. Might be tomorrow, might be never. It's nature, not train schedule :D

Easiest way for you is to find a beekeeper, buy some frames of bees from him.

All you need is a smoker and a protective face veil.
 
#11 ·
> when swarm will get in there, in what time?

Maybe never.
:eek: Its a lot like fishing! You can set up bait, set trap, set hook, and maybe never catch anything.

> i only have hive, what else i need to start beekeeping?

A veil so you don't get stung in the head would be good to get. And a smoker, too. Most other stuff you can probably have already have or can find for free somewhere. See if you can find or make another hive body. Two is much better than one. :)
 
#13 ·
Oh, almost forgot. You also need a hive tool. That will help a lot to move the frames inside the hive. It is hard to
check your bees without one. Propolis is too strong for my hands to pry out the frames.
If you wait all season and not able to catch a swarm then it is a waste of time. But if you are lucky you might get one. Because we do not know how many beekeepers in your area. Or the wild swarm bees there.
Two frame of worker bees with a good queen will get you started fine. You have to feed them syrup and pollen too. So they will grow faster and not go hungry until they can bring in pollen and nectar for the hive.
 
#15 ·
> How aggresive are most of bees?

That is a difficult question to answer from thousands of miles away. Here there are different families of bees, and they vary in how aggressive they are.

The best answer to your question would be to find some local beekeepers. Since you were gifted a hive body, there must be beekeepers around somewhere.

If you can't find any local beekeepers, maybe someone connected with this event could point you in the right direction:
http://www.caucasusbusiness.net/events/festival-tea-and-honey
 
#17 ·
Well, i heard about "Georgian bee" (im from Georgia) breed they say its non-agressive, but isn't there chance that in hive will get another kind of bees? when i usualy walk in garden bees ignoring me but when i stare at them they will look at me and will start oddly fly right and left, what kind of action that can be? thanks.
 
#18 ·
> when i stare at them they will look at me and will start oddly fly right and left, what kind of action that can be?

Maybe they do not like the way you look!
:lookout:

OK, that was a joke. But some beekeepers believe that bees act more aggressively to people or animals that may resemble a bear. Under this theory, dark clothes, dark sunglasses, long dark hair, dark beards, etc, may make bees more aggressive than they would be otherwise. That is why beekeepers clothing is traditionally all white.
 
#23 ·
All beekeeping is local, means that how you keep your bees depends very much on your local conditions. For example, what works well, or is good advice, in Georgia, might be terrible in Germany. You should rely more on what other beekeepers in the Caucases are doing- the plants the bees forage on, the climate, the type of bees are similar.

For example, you might have a lot of buckwheat (grechka) available, which makes excellent honey. Here in the USA there is very little buckwheat, and instead alfalfa and clover are the important bee crops.

So, you really need to connect with local/regional beekeepers. They will tell you what works and what doesn't in your area.
 
#24 ·
I just started beekeeping in January. I placed a swarm box on a tree in my back yard in the sun. I had no response for two months. Another beek told be to put the trap in the shade. I moved the trap to the shade and caught a swarm the next day. Is it because of the shade or just timming I'm not sure, but the shade worked for me. About a week later I moved the hive into full sun and faced away from the wind, so far they are doing great. And Good Luck!
 
#26 · (Edited)
Rader Sidetrack said catching a swarm is like fishing. This is true. Once when I went fishing(off a dock) I let the fishing line drag on the bottom of the lake. I caught an eel.
You will increase your odds of getting bees if your hive trap is a few feet up (like 6-10ft). Good luck catching your bees. Also, a little lemongrass oil as a lure is important.
 
#28 ·
Can you nail and hang your box up there and then strap down the box? I think 5 gallon bucket is too low that the
bees not like that low. The min is 7' I think.
 
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