[psm1212]

Anybody have DIY plans for a 40 liter swarm trap that accommodates Medium frames instead of Deep?

 

[yotebuster1200]

My swarm traps are 40 liters. They are wide enough for 5 frames and around 16 inches deep. You can put 5 deeps in it or 5 mediums. Either way there will be empty space below the frames.

If you dont catch them soon enough they will have it full of comb under the frames.

 

[psm1212]

If you dont catch them soon enough they will have it full of comb under the frames.

This is the part I am trying to eliminate. Also, I had a couple of swarms just start building off of the bottom bar of the frames and did not even build inside the frame. That was a mess. I am thinking about a box with a double layer of medium frames. Like a 5 over 5. I could probably figure that out fairly easily. Just wanted to see if there was anything out there available with cut sheets or dimensions.

 

[bushpilot]

Two medium nuc boxes?

 

[psm1212]

Two medium nuc boxes?

Should look about like that. Maybe some additional depth below the bottom frames to get it to 40L.

 

[yotebuster1200]

You would need the depth of 3 medium nucs to hit your 40 liter mark. It would actually put you around 45 liters.

 

[psm1212]

Thank you yotebuster. I really suck at math. That is why I was hoping to find a cut sheet. That helps. 45L is close enough.

 

[PAHunter62]

psm1212,

Here is what I ended up doing. I was all 8 frame medium boxes when I started and wanted to set out swarm traps. I found an online volume calculator to see how tall and 8 frame box would need to be to target ~ 40 liters. There are many calculators, this is the one I used …

http://dmplastics.ca/volume-calculator.aspx

I computed that I would need an additional 4 inches in the 8 frame dimensions to target 40 liters, so I made 4 inch trays that I attached to the bottom of my 8 frame medium boxes. I placed my entrance hole in the tray.

Here are a couple examples. These traps have worked very well for me. I do prefer a French cleat hanging system now.

 

[mcr]

what is a french cleat?

 

[twobarkingdogs]

what is a french cleat?

I actually use french cleats to hang my tools on the wall in my basements. Basically it is made using 2 2x4 or 2x6 with a 45 degree cut made length wise. One is mounted on the wall with the cut facing up and toward the wall. The other slots into that one with the cut facing down and out. They basically interlock together. Since I'm using these for hanging tools my hooks, screwdriver holders, etc are all mounted to this second board. I can post a couple pics it you want.

I'm guessing PAHunter has his swarm trap mounted to this second board and the first mounted to the tree.

Me I just drive a large nail into the tree and hook a board hanger over the nail. Then I strap it tight to the tree around the body of the hanger.

tbd

 

[PAHunter62]

I make hangers using scraps and ratchet strap it to the tree, then hang the trap. Easy to lift off a caught swarm at dusk and drop on a new trap if desired. No tree damage this way, easier to get permission to hang them on other peoples property.





I shim the hanger if needed at the top, or bottom in order to get my swarm trap level side to side. The board at the bottom of the hanger is to support the trap and to keep it from wanting to tip inward if it gets heavy before I retrieve it.

PAHunter62

 

[twobarkingdogs]

PAHunter

That looks interesting. When you mount the hanger onto the tree do you have any problems keeping a vertical level and does that cause any problems when you hang the trap box off of it. Because I see in the picture you posted with the box hanging on the tree that the hanger might wanted to pull into the tree causing the box to get out of level

And if possible could you please post a couple of pictures of your trap boxes. I'd like to see how the cleat is on the box. It looks like your opening is on the narrow end so the cleat runs along the wide side parallel with the frames

I might try this because I agree that getting permission to hang traps on other peoples property would be easier if I told them that there would be no nails or such going into the tree.

Thanks,

tbd

 

[PAHunter62]

I have not really had much trouble. Most of my trapping has been with medium frames. One bait comb and 7 foundationless. That makes it important to keep the side to side on the trap level to prevent cross-comb. Always take a level with you when you hang your traps if you are using foundationless frames. If you don't take the care to level, you may end up doing a cut-out from your trap - I speak from experience.



I made up a bunch of these short hangers, they are easy to carry and hang. The vertical piece came out of a lowes dumpster - it is from the runners the metal banding goes on when they get a pallet of lumber in. They will generally have no problem letting you take that stuff for free. I put a dado wide enough for my ratchet strap to go through. The cleat on the hanger is 3/4" plywood - I usually paint the exposed grain with several coats of titebond III wood glue, letting it dry between coats. Under the cleat, is a piece of scrap to support the bottom of the swarm trap.


I have a mix of traps, some with the hole in the end of the box, some with the hole in the side of the box. I hang mine standing on the bed of my truck at a height out of reach of kids, and comfortable to take down when full of bees, and possibly honey if I get side-tracked. The cleat on the box is just inverted from the one on the hanger.





For leveling the vertical, I just add a stick between the hanger and the tree - just wedge it in until I get my box leveled - it's rare I need to shim out the top of the hanger - just look for straight trees before you hang. I will often put a second strap around the trap and the tree to hold everything in place. I trap in bear country and have lost a couple traps to bear.


PAHunter62

 

[twobarkingdogs]

PAHunter

Thanks for the additional info as it gives me something to think about. I plan on making up a couple of more traps this fall for use next year so I will try out that mounting method and see how it works out.

And I know exactly what band scrap wood you are talking about except I get mine from home depot instead of lowes. Construction sites are also good places to get short pieces of 2x material. Nobody builds in my area using real plywood anymore but I have found that scraps of flooring osb work well for traps but the wall stuff is just a little to thin

tbd