What is a swarm trap?

The box to attract the bees — called bait hive or swarm trap — is basically any watertight wooden or plywood box with a volume of 40 to 70 liters (10 to 18 gallons) and a two-square-inch entrance towards the bottom of one wall. There are many swarm trap models, and even an empty carton can catch you a swarm.

When should you put out swarm traps?

Swarm traps should be out in the spring. That means that by mid April, you should start putting your traps out. Most swarming occurs in May and June, so you want your traps to be ready before then.

Do swarm traps really work?

Swarm traps are really good for catching your neighbor's honey bees, but if your neighbors don't have honey bees then you're left trying to catch feral swarms. But, again, those bees are not going to want to move into a crowded area.

How long do you leave bees in a swarm trap?

Leave Them Alone For a Week

As tempting as it may be, you don't want to disturb a newly caught swarm. If you try to inspect them too soon, move their location or make changes to their new home in any way, you may prompt them to leave. They should be left completely alone for 1 week.

Where do you put a swarm trap?

Swarm Trapping 101: Swarm Trap Design and Placement

Should I let my bees swarm?

As natural beekeepers, we aim to learn from the bees with the aim of caring for them in ways to keep colonies strong and healthy, guided by the bees' innate life expressions and natural preferences. Swarming must be considered as essential to this.

How often should you check swarm traps?

Traps only need to be checked about every 3 weeks or so till they come down.

What happens to the hive after a swarm?

After the swarm, it took 6 to 8 days for the queen cell to open and a new queen to emerge. Then allow about 3 days for her to mate. When she returns, she will start laying eggs in about 3 days. If a beekeeper does not follow up after a colony has swarmed, it can easily become a queenless colony.

What time of day do bees swarm?

Swarming usually occurs from mid-morning to mid-afternoon, while bearding may occur late in the afternoon into the evening. Generally, bearding bees don't do back inside until the temperature drops—which may be quite late in the day.

Will bees swarm without a queen?

Will bees swarm without a queen? The short answer is no, a swarm contains thousands or even tens of thousands of worker bees and one queen. But on very rare occasions it is possible to come across a queenless swarm, or what appears to be a swarm without a queen.

Will a swarm go into an empty hive?

It is worth noting that bees are unlikely to be attracted to an empty beehive that has just been bought new. You are going to need to put in some work to make it a place any swarm of bees will want to make their new home. The first thing to consider is where you are going to place the beehive.

What smell attracts honey bees?

In addition, bees are attracted to scented herbs such as rosemary, borage, sage, thyme, catnip, chamomile, lavender, basil, marjoram, hyssop and, of course, beebalm. Bees are partial to native plants, too, and there are plenty to choose from that can also be colorful additions to the garden.

How far will a swarm of bees travel?

In my experience it's usually not more than 100 yards from the hive. Then they may move from a quarter mile to several miles away.

What months do bees swarm?

Swarm season generally occurs between spring and early summer. Being connected in the local beekeeping community greatly increases your chances of finding a swarm.

Do bees sting when they swarm?

Honey bee swarms are not highly dangerous under most circumstances. Swarming honey bees feed prior to swarming, reducing their ability to sting. Further, bees away from the vicinity of their nest (offspring and food stores) are less defensive and are unlikely to sting unless provoked.

How long does a swarm last?

Typically, swarms only stay in one place for a few hours or maybe a day, but some swarms may remain for several days.

Will a hive swarm with a virgin queen?

Secondary swarms will issue from a hive often leaving with multiple virgin queens. I have found as many as 12 virgin queens in one swarm and have heard of more than that, but often finding two to four virgin queens is common.

Can a hive swarm twice?

The old queen will often swarm almost as soon as the new queen cells are sealed. This gives about a week before the new queens are ready to fly and a strong hive can give off multiple secondary swarms.

Can I use a nuc box as a swarm trap?

Registered. I use five frames nuc boxes for swarm traps all the time. I try get them as high up as possible. The swarm traps do better at 10 feet up or higher.

What size should a swarm trap be?

The right size — between 40 and 60 liters (10 to 15 gallons or 1.5–2 cubic feet). Numerous researchers demonstrated this is the size preferred by scout bees and most often occupied by swarms. The swarm traps I build are 40 to 53 liters. Ten-frame Langstroth deeps are 43 liters — good!