I use old combs but I spray them with bacillus thuringiensis first and then wax moths aren't a problem. It seems to last a few years and does not harm bees, comb, brood, etc.
I've been doing swarm trapping for 3 years now...I'm getting excited for year number 4... I just use the Lemon Grass Oil... My boxes are bigger than 5 frame nucs. They can hold 5 frames, but then there's an empty sace left leaving about 5-6 inches below the frames... I got the basic idea from the OutOfaBlueSky channel... I caught 28 swarms last year mostly from my traps and bait hives...
honeeproducer34. ok i live in ohio i would like to start bee hive becouse my son he likes the bees and he is 9 years old and i am anchorage him i bought the smoker, veil, etc i would like to know what do you use on your traps to get bees thanks for sharing?
This is a great video. Elegant, informative and entertaining! The comment about drawn foundation makes perfect sense- I would have made that mistake! Wish me luck- I'm setting up mine now in a pine tree where my swarms always go!
How long do you let them bake so to speak in the bait box before you take them to your yard. Had a late swarm and they are bearding on the front day and night any stories on how to relocate them and relocate them. if you have an old story about that would be nice. Trying to plan this week lol.caught them two weeks ago. East Texas think its the heat wear at feels like temp at 110. Love all that you do for the community. Thanks. Camoman..
I have never caught any bees in hive box traps, using plastic wax coated frames, & lemon grass oil. I do catch them in paper flower pots type that I buy. Should I use more ventilation holes drilled into the sides of the bait hive? Last week I shoved the hive box into a swarm and left it over the weekend. The bees moved up to the barn into a flowerpot hive that was also set for a back up.
VERY likely, since bees usually swarm from healthy hives that have overwintered well and feel that a swarm at this time has the best chance of finding a new home and creating enough stores to get them through the next winter.
At the outrageous price of package bees this year, I have decided to harvest swarms this coming year. I have been away from beekeeping for 3 years now and starting fresh. We are not allowed to have bees here in my town so I am putting them on the river island across the street from me. Inspectors have NO authority on the island. Back to beekeeping for me!
This will be my first year doing this I have a farm in Tampa Florida I have made two bait boxes so far from lumber that was given me from a company that replaces school bleachers in gyms I used some for my green house and now making bee boxes my question is Im trying to catch swarms and following your direction I built almost exact from what you are showing there I am using the lemon grass and placed one in my okra field and another by a star fruit that was blooming I didn't catch anything so far its been close to 3 weeks should I add more lemon grass oil or a what do you recommend.
Craig I live in NC so we roughly have the same weather. I had a hive swarm the last day of February this past year. Because of that, Im planning on setting mine out in the first couple weeks in February. That ought to give the scout bee's time to find them and know where they are.
Hey Don just seeing if you tried the Top Bar Hive yet? I really don't like em nor have i tried them! It's looks like be easier to maintain. Let me know what you feel about them, cheers my brother
Hehehe my bee's getting to dam lazy, i make there foundation, kept hornets and ants off of them, and robber bee's away, feed them sugar water and corn syrup so was think of let them do there own work with the top bar hive . idk just kicking it around
