Author Topic: Swarm Kit..... (Read 62112 times)

riverbee · « **on:** May 21, 2014, 07:16:33 pm »

ok all you swarm trappers, catchers and swarm police......errr swarm coppers!.......

what's in your go to swarm kit? what do you take with you or keep in your vehicles to capture swarms.....?
mine is pretty meager, i don't like climbing trees or ladders....

sort of like the commercial 'what's in your wallet' or peeking into another fisher's fly box for their essentials and maybe a secret weapon or two.......

what's in your swarm kit? share pix and lists of what you use.......! know there are many photos of what all have developed to use, but share them again here......good thread for those starting out and can get some ideas!

iddee · « **Reply #1 on:** May 21, 2014, 07:27:54 pm »

A 10 frame hive, a 5 frame nuc, and lemongrass oil.

AND A NEARLY 70 YEAR OLD TOO DUMB TO STAY OFF LADDERS AND OUT OF TREES.

blueblood · « **Reply #2 on:** May 21, 2014, 07:31:58 pm »

....ha! Anyway, nuc with 2-3 frames, lemon grass oil, queen clip, suit/veil/gloves. Oh, and, strap to keep lid on, mesh for front entrance and duct tape or tacs to keep the screen on.

riverbee · « **Reply #3 on:** May 21, 2014, 08:49:05 pm »

"AND A NEARLY 70 YEAR OLD TOO DUMB TO STAY OFF LADDERS AND OUT OF TREES."

or cherry pickers iddee.........

dave, couldn't help myself, you bring a new term to swarm catchers........SWARM COPPERS!!!!......

keep the posts coming!

rcannon · « **Reply #4 on:** May 21, 2014, 08:57:44 pm »

I have a 5 gallon bucket with some old brood comb melted in the bottom. I used a hole saw to cut 4 or 5 holes in it and hot glued #8 mesh wire over them. Done the same to the lid.
Once they're in the bucket I can pop the lid on and don't have to fret about it coming off on the way home. I had that happen once. It wasn't pretty.

Papakeith · « **Reply #5 on:** May 21, 2014, 10:06:17 pm »

Thanks for starting this Riverbee. I was thinking the same thoughts the other day when I had no ladder in the pickup; "I wonder what people who actually catch swarms keep on hand".

I've got a 10 frame hive body with some comb, a nuc with some comb. Lemon grass oil, duct tape, 6 ft step ladder, ratchet straps. Still thinking about making a bee vac.

Bsweet · « **Reply #6 on:** May 21, 2014, 10:43:34 pm »

Use to carry a 10 frame deep and or a Nuc in the back of my truck but now I use a bucket. Like rcannon my first bucket had 3 inch holes with screen covering them but now I just 3 inch circles and use a drill with a small 1/16 bit and drill alot of holes within the drawn circles. I like the bucket lid to be the type with a pour spout rather than a solid lid and no ventalation holes drilled in the top. Once the swarm is shaken or brushed into the bucket and I'm sure the queen is in the bucket I snap the lid on the bucket and remove the cap from the pour spout so the flying bees must enter the spout and then cap the spout when the flyers are in.
When I get a swarm call I ask questions and get photos about the location and decide what other tools might be needed and to weed out wasp.

Got a call to my local Wal Mart for a swarm , jumped in my truck and went over to find about 100 bees forageing their produce dumpster. Explained to them that it was not a swarm but just workers and I could'nt help them.... and oh ya don't mash any bannanas. Jim

riverbee · « **Reply #7 on:** May 21, 2014, 11:01:21 pm »

"and oh ya don't mash any bannanas."

.......tooo funnny jim!.....

you are welcome pk, was gong through my 'swarm kit' and thought of this for a post.....if you guys saw my organized list and my disorganized equipment, you would all have something to laugh about.....

BoilerJim · « **Reply #8 on:** May 21, 2014, 11:34:01 pm »

Well, I have not had any luck with swarm "traps" so I don't do them anymore. However, if you are asking what do I take with me for swarm calls?

I take a rectangle cardboard box (that files came in), duct tape, hood and veil and rubber gloves, 1:1 spray bottle of sugar water with a little honey B healthy in it to keep it from spoiling in my "to go" kit. I also have liquid Dimetapp just in case things "go bad." I have a set of these in my two personal vehicles and I keep one in my company car. If I have time to go home I'll hop in by pick up truck with a ladder in the back. I plan on making a bucket on a pole thingy like Dave "Blue" made.

brooksbeefarm · « **Reply #9 on:** May 22, 2014, 12:20:39 am »

Like iddee, but i'm over 70

. I also carry some loopers(sp?) to cut branches off and a spray bottle with bee go and water mix,( i have used WD40

) that's to spray on where ever you took them from to kill the pheromone of the queen so they won't keep going back to that spot. With two knee replacements i don't ladders high up, if i can't get it from the ground or pickup bed, i call a club member and let them have it. Jack

riverbee · « **Reply #10 on:** May 22, 2014, 03:11:51 am »

jim, your swarm kit for swarm calls......not swarm traps....

"I also have liquid Dimetapp just in case things "go bad."....... I plan on making a bucket on a pole thingy like Dave "Blue" made."
funny on the "just in case things go bad" i don't carry dimetapp, but liquid benedryl and i was thinking on making one of those pole thingy's too jim........

swarm catcher pole bucket? swarm copper catcher pole bucket.....uhmm dunno? works for me.......

jack.....LOOPERS?, nope LOPPERS my friend....... but you can call them loopers......

Barbarian · « **Reply #11 on:** May 22, 2014, 03:13:17 am »

I take one of my spare heads ........ the educational one.

Will try the WD40 for the swarm spot. At the moment I'm using air freshner blocks.

tbonekel · « **Reply #12 on:** May 22, 2014, 06:55:14 am »

Quote from: Bsweet on May 21, 2014, 10:43:34 pm

Got a call to my local Wal Mart for a swarm , jumped in my truck and went over to find about 100 bees forageing their produce dumpster. Explained to them that it was not a swarm but just workers and I could'nt help them.... and oh ya don't mash any bannanas. Jim

At the place where people take metal to recycle, they have this huge bin next to the building where the put all the crushed soda cans. There are always tons of bees hanging around. I wonder if that would be a good place for a trap?

brooksbeefarm · « **Reply #13 on:** May 22, 2014, 08:02:28 am »

Just about anything with an odor will work, i used WD40 because that's the only thing i had in the truck that left an odor.

Jack

tmrschessie · « **Reply #14 on:** May 25, 2014, 09:47:33 am »

a box with empty frames of comb, spray bottle for sugar water, limb clippers (or a pocket knife if I forget them), ladder, strap for the box. smoker, works to move bees or bee quick if needed.

jb63 · « **Reply #15 on:** May 27, 2014, 01:09:13 am »

I caught this one today with a ladder an 8 frame box with some comb and a hoe.The hoe was to pull the branch down closer to the box before I shook it. I like loppers too but didn't need them this time.

riverbee · « **Reply #16 on:** May 27, 2014, 11:49:40 am »

wow!!! thanks for the pix jb!!!

blueblood · « **Reply #17 on:** June 04, 2014, 06:39:41 am »

Oh, and wanted to add one more tool that is very useful for a swarm call, anvil pruner.

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #18 on:** June 04, 2014, 01:55:55 pm »

Anvil pruner... hrm.. I have never had a need to prune my anvil...

What is an Anvil Pruner?

blueblood · « **Reply #19 on:** June 04, 2014, 05:37:44 pm »

You know, clippers!