[GregB]

I just looked at:

Trapping/Catches 2021

What the heck, 2021 is here! Before you know it, swarms will start flying down South. Here is a place to discuss and brag (and cry) about 2021 swarm chasing season.

www.beesource.com

Man, I am late!
January is almost over and "unregulated" 2022 swarm chasing talks are popping up.
Well, here is the 2022 catch-all thread.

So, I scouted out another good potential trapping/beekeeping site.
I mean to approach the owners and ask about it.
Not that I need anymore locations, but it is just so darn convenient - directly on my existing route, close from home and so will not take much extra time.
A great property, half forested with plenty of shade, excellent wind break and I should be able to drive up without bothering the owners (per Google map).
And no neighbors!!!

OK, will drop off a proposal and cross my fingers and toes.

Why exactly I need another site, again?
I dunno; a greedy site collector, I guess.
If they say "no", it will be fine too.

Well, I am always concerned about shutting down my backyard bee-yard due to the per-annually complaining neighbors (who just don't like my ways to begin with).
Maybe my intuition is telling me something.

 

[Nicksotherhoney]

I placed a few swarm traps last year in a vacant field tons of wild flowers around and under a tree not a single hit.. even used swarm commander.. when scouting public places what do you look for?

 

[GregB]

when scouting public places what do you look for?

When I first started years ago, I read too much the TF "experts" and tried to look for "feral" bees - LOL!
This resulted in me driving/walking/carrying $h!t too much.

This is in my "little suburban backyard" - where I was looking for non-existent "feral" bees.
Well, I gradually understood my ignorance in that regard.
I catch whatever the other bee owners loose, whatever it may be.
But the stuff is hardly feral.

GregV's Alternative way to keep (have?) bees.

Does he tell what treatments he normally does?

www.beesource.com

Now days I look for my own convenience and that is sufficient to nail more than enough bees for my needs.
Especially because almost all of my trapping now days happens directly at or near my beekeeping sites.

Still I am looking for and checking out easily accessed public places too.
So, the public place scouting amounts to finding places that provide:

• ability to do this withing my existing project range without extra driving (no more than 10 miles from the home base)
• ability to drive up to within 30-100 feet to the trap installation
• ability to hide the trap from it being accidentally found by someone AND without climbing
• ability to come/leave without people being around (some poorly used public parking next to the forest/bush is great)

I used to ask the local authorities for public swarm trapping permission - no more of that (too much work for me and too much confusion on their part).
I also make a very strong, external lure so to know quickly if the bees are around - to know if it is worthwhile to keep the trap at the place.
With the strong lure, the bees quickly find the trap - IF they like the trap or not - that is another problem.
But if there are bees around, you can then work the problem out.

Last year I tried out two new public places and did not find them to be good (but this did not cost me much extra effort).
Two years ago I tried a new spot AND found it to be great (never mind me squandering the very good bees I scored there).
So this particular public spot I will keep using.

For example, here a nice public woody lot - may or may not try again; but no located bees here last year.
The other spot below - a good one (which you would have never guessed without trying it out - who in their right mind traps the swarms in bush thicket and no trees??? ).

 

[AR1]

Greg, you are just too kind to those snooty southerners, with their ridiculous swarm season starting in January.

 

[GregB]

Greg, you are just too kind to those snooty southerners, with their ridiculous swarm season starting in January.

I am a nice guy.
Everyone knows this!

 

[Lee Bussy]

will drop off a proposal and cross my fingers and toes.

Just out of curiosity - what sort of language do you use to lure in the land owners?

 

[GregB]

Just out of curiosity - what sort of language do you use to lure in the land owners?

No b00l$h!t language.
I don't do that.

I simply say - I am so an so and live near you. I am a hobbyist beekeeper. Would you be interested to host few beehives for me? Many Thanks.
Written by hand on a piece of paper and dropped at the mailbox.

It works often enough - I scored an excellent site on a private preserve this way.
This case alone was worth the effort (very minimal effort at that).
To be fair, more often than not I never heard back - 5-6 times maybe?

Most of my sites are with people who actively looked for beekeepers for their properties
A couple of sites I actually walked up to the owners (having an opportunity), and had a chat with them, and shortly thereafter had their OK.
In person talk worked well for me, it is just not always possible or convenient.

 

[Gray Goose]

Just out of curiosity - what sort of language do you use to lure in the land owners?

resist the phrase "save the bees" As it is a tidbit you are inexperienced.

Same As Greg
introduce
ask permission to places hives
Offer to answer questions.

Mostly they are concerned about horses, dog and the family getting stung.
In general they are bee lovers/ok with it or bee haters.

get the yes No and move on, I do not spend 10 sec talking them into it. If you need to talk them into it, they will balk later.
After the season thank them near Xmas with a gift of honey, any sooner and they have expectations, I do not promice future Livestock gains as at time there are none.

Really 10 min and you will know
I have a card with name address phone number, so they have a way to call me and offer feedback , bear sightings, etc.

I had a person one time come to me with a whole booklet about the bees and how they pollinate and yada yada.
For me it was a turn off, just keep in mind it is their property and you are asking permission. do not try to prove bees are needed and good. it is an ask not a convince.

use the sales slogan SWSWSWN
Some Will Some Won't So What Next

10 door knocks should get you 1 or 2 nice sites. 3 hours and a 1/2 tank of car juice

google earth the property, only stop and ask at the "good spots" I Like "Old farms" no more critters, mostly cash cropping. As an Old crotchety person, I can relate to them better. No animals means less concern about gates and such. If some one comes to the door with a nose ring and Tats on their face, I ask them if they want to donate cash to the community soccer team, they say no and I leave. IE have a change your mind spiel for the last second, just in case, I also used it one time when refer smoke rolled out the door, when it was opened. BTW they declined to give cash for the Soccer team.. No offence intended, but I will not have my bees in some folks yards,, enough said.

this would be for bees or traps.

today more people ask me to bring bees to their property than I have time for.
I guess the word is out

GG

 

[GregB]

only stop and ask at the "good spots"

+1
This is why I do my ground recon first - driving about first and establish desirable candidates.
Later do the digital recon into the desirable spots.
And finally try to approach them.

The same for those owners who come to our forum asking for the beekeepers.
I will do my recon first into them.
Then bother contacting them if it is worth it to me.
Too many spots as it is, to waste the time.

 

[Litsinger]

Most of my sites are with people who actively looked for beekeepers for their properties

Good stuff, Greg. And at least around me, once people find out you are a beekeeper they are often glad to call you when they see or hear about swarms.

I've picked up several swarms in the neighborhood this way as well as having FB friends send me swarm removal help requests from their network.

 

[RAST]

Yep, I’ll start hanging mine next week.

 

[Cobbler]

This all sounds like a lot of work. Of course everybody’s situation is different. I don’t ask permission, I just place my traps in parks, wetlands, and right of ways around my suburban area. I also get people who hear about my beekeeping and ask to host a trap. That’s great, because I don’t even have to check the traps. I just get a call when the bees arrive. People love watching the scouts and then the swarm. Actually I have had some difficulty from people who fall in love with their bees and want me to leave them a little longer.

 

[GregB]

This all sounds like a lot of work.

Well, consider my backyard is very limited and so I need out-yards anyway.
I can not just set out some hives in any public park either.

For people like myself, a combined trapping site/out-yard makes sense.
Does not stop from doing some covert swarm trapping missions in no-man's land.

 

[chiara]

Caught one today March 6th. Katy, Texas, just west of Houston. Had it up for a couple weeks nothing and added more lemongrass oil around noon yesterday, moved in around 2 this afternoon.

 

[AR1]

Caught one today March 6th. Katy, Texas, just west of Houston. Had it up for a couple weeks nothing and added more lemongrass oil around noon yesterday, moved in around 2 this afternoon.

Love it. That looks like about 5 frames size. Is it?

 

[chiara]

Love it. That looks like about 5 frames size. Is it?

Double 5 frame Nuc. They are the D Coats design with cleats on the top and bottom of the "supers". You get a little bur comb between boxes but not much. Top box has 5 frames of old comb and bottom is empty to give them open space.

 

[Cobbler]

Caught one today March 6th. Katy, Texas, just west of Houston. Had it up for a couple weeks nothing and added more lemongrass oil around noon yesterday, moved in around 2 this afternoon.

When you say you added LGO today, do you mean that you added it inside the box?

I have had quite a few experiences where just a little LGO seems to repel bees - until it has mellowed for a few days. I have had multiple instances where a Swarm has moved in, but apparently became overwhelmed by the smell inside the box and relocated to the bottom of the box where they started building comb. I have been experimenting with Ways to apply LGO to the outside of the box.

has anyone else had that same trouble, or developed a good, long-lasting way to apply LGO to the outside of a box?

congratulations on the catch. I am putting up my traps next week in great anticipation of the swarm season starting April 1 in my area.

 

[GregB]

has anyone else had that same trouble, or developed a good, long-lasting way to apply LGO to the outside of a box?

This has been my standard technique - LGO outside of the box.
Anymore I simply hang a zip bag above the box - the higher the better, in fact.
The point of LGO - helping the bees to zero onto the trap over the long distance.
Once the scouts have been pulled near the box - well used box/old combs/propolis become the real lure (without being offensive).

For example - picture.

 

[Litsinger]

has anyone else had that same trouble, or developed a good, long-lasting way to apply LGO to the outside of a box?

I have not had this issue personally, but know of others who have run into this. For my part I employ a sealed ziplock bag with a q-tip in it inside the trap on top of the bars. One end of the q-tip is dipped in LGO and the other is dipped in an alcohol solution which has queens marinating in it (I think the technical term is maceration).

I have a friend who has had great trapping success by affixing a small vial with a lid to the lid of the swarm trap (think duct tape). The vial lid then has a hole bored in it and he installs a wick in the hole. Then he fills the vial with LGO and then he has fresh LGO wicking up throughout the season. Something to think about.

 

[chiara]

When you say you added LGO today, do you mean that you added it inside the box?

I have had quite a few experiences where just a little LGO seems to repel bees - until it has mellowed for a few days. I have had multiple instances where a Swarm has moved in, but apparently became overwhelmed by the smell inside the box and relocated to the bottom of the box where they started building comb. I have been experimenting with Ways to apply LGO to the outside of the box.

has anyone else had that same trouble, or developed a good, long-lasting way to apply LGO to the outside of a box?

congratulations on the catch. I am putting up my traps next week in great anticipation of the swarm season starting April 1 in my area.

4 or 5 drops on a paper towel, rubbed the paper towel on landing board and above entrance. Put towel in ziplock bag half way closed the bag and laid it on top of the frames in the top box. I try to limit the amount I use because the box is in my backyard and I can rebait it often if needed. I haven't looked in the trap/Nuc yet.