How and when to set up bait hives

You can go ahead and put them out. I'm in eastern nc and have been catching swarms since the first of april. 9 total since the first. I use a 10 frame deep as the box. Mediums and especially medium nucs may be to small. I caught a couple last year that couldn't even fit inside a 10 frame deep. I use a frame of dark drawn comb, 9 empty frames and lemon grass oil. If u put pollen or honey inside it will draw unwanted bugs and pest. Good luck and happy trapping.

I don't have an answer, but a question. Sorry. I really want to try this out as well. Is there a good resource/link you can suggest of how to begin trying to catch swarms. Especially of where to place the box to most likely get a swarm. Thanks, juzzer

I've never lived in Wisconsin but you guys do get a spring, right? I would put them out now. As many as you can near known hives!

I place mine alot of different places. In eves or windows of old houses are good places. I have some bout 6 ft up in trees and have even caught a couple in my backyard with traps sitting on a couple of blocks. YouTube has some videos on building and placement. I combined ideas from videos to build my own. Check them at least every week during swarm season. Last year I had 8 swarms move in in one week.

I'm in west central Indiana. Last year I caught my swarm on Mother's day, so I think here in a few weeks would be the best time to start putting traps out. At least, that is when I plan on putting mine out. Right now, my hives are just beginning to building up so I don't think we will see any swarms for at least a few more more weeks. I'm also monitoring a few feral colonies close by and it seems the aren't even close to having enough bees to begin swarming. With the cold winter we had everything seems to be blooming late. That probably means swarm season will start later than normal as well.

here is probably a real dumb one, but should I put one near my own hives?

I will check out youtube, but does anyone have a good link to post so I can read about the practices of how to start catching swarms? Thanks, juzzer

bassbee said:

I place mine alot of different places. In eves or windows of old houses are good places. I have some bout 6 ft up in trees and have even caught a couple in my backyard with traps sitting on a couple of blocks. YouTube has some videos on building and placement. I combined ideas from videos to build my own. Check them at least every week during swarm season. Last year I had 8 swarms move in in one week.

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Out of curiosity, how many traps did you have out and what was your total for the season?

>I live in central Illinois. Is it too early to set them out?

Not, it's not. It's a great time. Your swarm season is coming up soon...

http://www.beesource.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?292-Swarms-Trap-outs-and-Cut-outs

a good source for information on catching swatms. --eb

I had 12 traps out last year from first of april to about end of june. I kept putting them out after moving the caught ones out. I finished with 23 swarms last year that I caught in my traps. I took them all up the end of June because I ran out of equipmwnt. I had hopes of catching 3 or 4 and the first two weeks last year I had a swarm in every trap. It was fun but had to quit bc of equipment shortage. All my traps were within a 2 mile radius of my house so I could check them while I was out and about. None of the traps were close to my bee yard.

Thanks again to everyone for the advice! I have a plan now. I have a few 10 frame deeps but mostly mediums as I am trying to stay interchangeable.

Should I put 2 mediums out to give them more room, or should one suffice in most cases? If it isn't big enough will they move on, or just beard around the entrance?

bassbee said:

I had 12 traps out last year from first of april to about end of june. I kept putting them out after moving the caught ones out. I finished with 23 swarms last year that I caught in my traps. I took them all up the end of June because I ran out of equipmwnt. I had hopes of catching 3 or 4 and the first two weeks last year I had a swarm in every trap. It was fun but had to quit bc of equipment shortage. All my traps were within a 2 mile radius of my house so I could check them while I was out and about. None of the traps were close to my bee yard.

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Thanks!

I also have 12 traps and if I catch a third of what you did I will be thrilled!

This trapping thing is interesting. I have been asking a lot of questions about it and researching as well.

Most people use a frame of dark comb in their traps. Fat Beeman says in his video that if you haven't caught anything in two weeks, the moths will take it over and ruin the comb. He advised using foundation instead.
I have asked others about this and they laugh about using wax coated plastic or starter strips in a bait box.
I don't know what the answer is but I am going to try the plastic foundation and see how it works (as I have no drawn comb that I want to give up!)

For advice on how to best set up traps, here is a link to Seeley's Bait Hives study:

http://ecommons.cornell.edu/bitstream/1813/2653/2/Bait Hives for Honey Bees.pdf

> Fat Beeman says in his video that if you haven't caught anything in two weeks, the moths will take it over and ruin the comb.

In Georgia, I have no doubt that is true. In Nebraska in prime swarm season there are no wax moths... yet.