This is my first year to put out swarm traps and I have learned how to do a few things right and learned how to avoid some mistakes too.
I hung 7 traps two weeks ago and I've caught 3 swarms so far, with two of those caught on the same tree a week apart. I hung them about 6-7 feet high and baited them with a couple frames of old brood comb and LGO. I put them in places that I knew had had some swarm activity in years past and that seemed to be a good decision. My mistakes were, first, that I used deep frames without thinking about the fact that I'm transitioning over to all mediums beginning this year. So it was a problem because I had also used comb with wired wax foundation which made it too hard to try to cut the combs down to fit the medium frames in the new hive. A second mistake was that I tip toed to hang the traps (made like a 5 frame nuc box) on the side of the tree and then when I tried to take them down with bees and honey inside, I needed a step ladder or an assistant because it's hard to balance a full box like that with one hand while you work with the other. But I got it done. I am now using medium frames in the deep swarm traps for the next swarms which will give the bees a sense of roominess in the box, plus, I can move the frames directly to my medium brood boxes when I bring them home. I am alternating 3 frames of comb and 2 frames with no foundation to give the scouts plenty of room to look at in the trap. I'm sure most of you guys already thought this thru, but I posted it for those who are new at it like I was, or they may be a little slow in the head like me. Hope it helps someone.
I hung 7 traps two weeks ago and I've caught 3 swarms so far, with two of those caught on the same tree a week apart. I hung them about 6-7 feet high and baited them with a couple frames of old brood comb and LGO. I put them in places that I knew had had some swarm activity in years past and that seemed to be a good decision. My mistakes were, first, that I used deep frames without thinking about the fact that I'm transitioning over to all mediums beginning this year. So it was a problem because I had also used comb with wired wax foundation which made it too hard to try to cut the combs down to fit the medium frames in the new hive. A second mistake was that I tip toed to hang the traps (made like a 5 frame nuc box) on the side of the tree and then when I tried to take them down with bees and honey inside, I needed a step ladder or an assistant because it's hard to balance a full box like that with one hand while you work with the other. But I got it done. I am now using medium frames in the deep swarm traps for the next swarms which will give the bees a sense of roominess in the box, plus, I can move the frames directly to my medium brood boxes when I bring them home. I am alternating 3 frames of comb and 2 frames with no foundation to give the scouts plenty of room to look at in the trap. I'm sure most of you guys already thought this thru, but I posted it for those who are new at it like I was, or they may be a little slow in the head like me. Hope it helps someone.