Swarm Traps-Swarm Commander

[sc-bee]

Anyone tried the Swarm Commander lure? I see the Honey Bee Gone in the adds, it is from the same company. Between Dad and I we have 17 traps out baited with old comb and lemon grass oil... have not seen even a scout bee yet. Received my SC in the mail today and baited three of the traps with it. Two traps are a side by side comparison between the LGO and SC. They are deeps with five frames of old comb each and some foundation and empty filler frames on the ends. They are only a few feet off the ground because I don't do the climbing thing well and the deeps are a little large to hoist by rope IMHO.

One set is under a large water oak ( 3 ft off ground) but the water oak has low limbs skirting around it. It is also next to a pond. I am wondering if the low skirting limbs will affect the success of the traps? The Other comparison set is about 5 ft high in an oak and popular hollow. The last SC trap is a loner five frame sitting on a rock pile in the woods on the edge of a filed. Dads 11 traps are 45 min away so I could not SC lure any of those :( We will see how it goes.

[Perry]

I love practical experiments, be sure to let us know how this works out. A great book on swarming behavior is Thomas Seeley's "Honey Bee Democracy".

[tbonekel]

Is there a way that you can raise the boxes up to at least eye level or a little above? The swarms I have caught have been at about 7 or 8 feet. Also, I have read that they prefer a smaller box than a regular deep. I know it sounds like they are picky and I have seen swarms go in all sizes of things and heights, but I'm just thinking it might improve your chances a little. Good luck on the SC! I'm interested to see if it works. I also like experimenting. For a lot of things, I have to learn for myself.

[LazyBkpr]

My boxes will be going up this week, if the weather finally decides to cooperate, and I will be using the swarm commander in all of them.

   I also do not like doing the height thing..  I dont usually put my boxes up any further than I must.  If I can stand on my trucks tailgate I will do that!  It means I can drive by and inspect the hive as well.

[sc-bee]

Also, I have read that they prefer a smaller box than a regular deep. I know it sounds like they are picky and I have seen swarms go in all sizes of things and heights, but I'm just thinking it might improve your chances a little.

Actually most studies I have seen say they prefer a box about 40L. That is close, to my understanding, to a ten frame deep. Don't get me wrong I am sure you can find any recommendation and size imaginable on the net.Some say compromise to 30L for a box that is easier to handle or hoist. Lots of folks use five frame nucs but some say the larger swarms may pass over them due to size restrictions. I totally agree with the height thing although swarms will enter old equipment stacked, cracks in house walls etc. I just don't do the height thing well and for a comparison it was hard to host two on ropes in the same location.

Hers is a beekeepers size study (Robo):
http://beevac.com/swarm-traps/

Here are the 40L trap plans a amongst other things:
http://robo.bushkillfarms.com/beekeeping/downloads/

Another site of tips etc (bjournbee)
http://www.bjornapiaries.com/swarmlureuse.html

Both guys have forgotten more about bees than I will ever know 

[capt44]

I use the flower pot style swarm trap and have very good results with it.
Last season I caught 63 swarms around the county.
This season I have caught one already and have bees checking out a couple of more, one right on the front of my work shop.
I use a piece of old comb and lemon grass essence oil.
The box style trap try using one frame of drawn out comb and the rest if any without foundation.
When a scout bee is checking out the box it is looking for a dark cavity around 40Liters.
With the box full of frames the inside of the cavity looks smaller.
I have tried Pheromone lures and the bees wouldn't pay any attention to it.
Now Lemon Grass Essence Oil they usually are checking it out while I hanging it.
I put mine up about as high as I can reach from the ground.

[sc-bee]

The box style trap try using one frame of drawn out comb and the rest if any without foundation.
When a scout bee is checking out the box it is looking for a dark cavity around 40Liters.
With the box full of frames the inside of the cavity looks smaller

Thanks I will remove the frames except on. What about empties with a wedge turned down. Or you would rather go with nothind. I am just trying to avoid the cut-out.

[LazyBkpr]

and the rest if any without foundation.

   Indeed..  Use frames with guides.  If you have a drawn piece of comb or two it will help a lot with getting the bees going the right direction.. a box full of empty frames will mean a drawn comb from one corner to the other about 50% of the time.

[iddee]

Foundation frames may adversely affect them, but I do not believe drawn frames will, even if there are 10 of them.

[sc-bee]

I have a friend that uses 5 framers and only foundation and has had luck. Not sure how many frames of foundation? Maybe he would have more without the foundation???

Capt I have watched your success with the peat pot but most I here have no luck with them???

[Slowmodem]

I use the flower pot style swarm trap and have very good results with it.

I have one of those traps and it worked very well.  For some reason the bees seem to love that style of enclosure. 



However, I had trouble getting them out of it.  They had built comb in there (I didn't get to them for a week or so after they moved in) and the hive beetles were in there too.  If you're good at cutting/moving/installing comb then this is the trap for you.  I may try it again in a few years when I have more time to learn about that type of manipulations.

[LazyBkpr]

They need to mold those traps so that they will accept frames, then you would not have to do a cut out if you cold not get the trap down the day after they moved in.