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290 Posts
I built & installed my first swarm trap today. Slightly wider than the norm, so I wound up with 6 frames instead of 5, but that's fine. Standard nuc size with a 1 inch hole about 3 inches from the top on the short end. Tacked 1/2" hardware cloth inside to limit anything else getting into the hole. 2 folded paper towels inside a thin baggy with a few dabs of LGO inside on the bottom. I also tacked 1/4" hardware cloth over part of the bottom, so the aroma should get around just fine. Finished off by putting in 6 frames of clean, old brood comb and closed it up.
Was *going* to put it in the nice neighbor's apple tree, but wound up setting it on the roof of her shed next to the tree. Nice & shady, made sure everything was fairly level. Lots of brushy shrubs around the back of the shed.
Probably still too early for swarming here, but with the hot weather we've been having, everything blooming like crazy. I know there's at least one of beek within a mile of me, plus I've been seeing thirsty girls visiting my nursery beds. So this might be the ideal time to start.
I think I've done everything I can--any other suggestions? I tried to orient the entrance to the trap S/SE.
Was *going* to put it in the nice neighbor's apple tree, but wound up setting it on the roof of her shed next to the tree. Nice & shady, made sure everything was fairly level. Lots of brushy shrubs around the back of the shed.
Probably still too early for swarming here, but with the hot weather we've been having, everything blooming like crazy. I know there's at least one of beek within a mile of me, plus I've been seeing thirsty girls visiting my nursery beds. So this might be the ideal time to start.
I think I've done everything I can--any other suggestions? I tried to orient the entrance to the trap S/SE.