So here it is, swarm time, and I have several traps out--- I live in the high desert of So Cal near the Joshua Tree Park -- and the one thing I am worried about is accidentally catching a full on AHB swarm.
I might not even realize it till they have brood, and then pour out at me in some awful tsunami!! We do have some gentle feral bees here, but there's also the AHB of course, as well as some widely scattered 'domestic' Italians and Germans.
The only thing I can think to do to discourage AHB is set out larger traps than the smaller spaced ones I've heard they like --- advice would be great really would love some free bees but want to live to talk about it haha.
Are there --any -- indicators I might have very early that I have caught them, like, at a 'safe' time? Before there's so much brood they just lose it? Or what are the warning signs it might BE a AHB colony ?