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newbee swarmer??

914 Views 4 Replies 3 Participants Last post by  Mr.Beeman
I am excited to try out setting swarm traps/bait hives. What do you suggest to use as a box. I would like to keep the price down(if possible) but still do it right to keep the best odds in my favor for success. Build my own(out of??), buy a wooden or corrugated nuc box, use a deep or medium hive body?

Also, do I need to place drawn frames in the box or does plasticell or wax foundation work well when set in the hive? Thanks a lot, juzzer
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I build 5 frame medium nuc hives and stack two supers to house 10 frames. Drawn comb (at least 2) in the bottom super works best. A 10 frame medium will work.... just harder to hang out.
Good luck.
I don't build single purpose traps. I use existing hive bodies that are not currently on an active hive. Make your equipment do double duty. Use what you have - any size trap is better than not putting traps out at all.

If you want to read Seeley's study of optimum bait hives, click here:
http://ecommons.cornell.edu/bitstream/1813/2653/2/Bait Hives for Honey Bees.pdf
So there I have it, just like all aspects of beekeeping.....everyone is different in how things are done. Thanks, and I will check out the link.

If I go the 10 deep route(1 deep hive body), do I need to fill the box with 10 deeps? I was planning on placing 1-2 frames of drawn comb(like mentioned above) in and then adding 6 frames with 2" of wax foundation as starter strips. I don't have an abundance of drawn deep frames and the ones I do have quite a bit of pollen in them. Would it be okay to use the frames that have pollen scattered throughout the cells?

Otherwise I might build a 5 frame nuc box that would house deeps(easier to hang). If I do that, 2 frames of drawn and then fill it out with the frames of wax foundation?
Thanks, juzzer
The drawn frames get the queen laying right away compared to non drawn (makes sense). Either way you go will work.
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