Bait hive work

[Jeff Buzz]

Having taken a nice swarm of bees last month with my bait hive in the garden I housed the captured bees in a new hive set it up again.
Without very much activity during the last 3 weeks started getting a few bees in on Saturday morning the activity increased during the day until around 6pm a smallish cast moved in.
I rehoused them yesterday with a frame of brood and a super frame with some crystallized OSR in.
The old bait hive was just left to one side.
Today I reset the bait hive up about 20 ft away at around 10am, bees started taking a interest with 10 mins and had another nice swarm move in with 4 hrs how jammy is that.

Specification

Old home made hive,
Small entrance hole,
3 frames of old comb
splash of lemon grass oil

 

[666bees]

Well done, got one myself today. Its great watching them go in.

 

[oliver90owner]

how jammy is that

Not at all. Well done! You have the right combination of size, position, opening and interior. You may have been lucky to arrive at that combination, but if it works once, it'll work a second time and a third...

The change in the weather (and flow?) has likely caused a lot of swarming over a short period. Your bait hive may have been 'sussed out' by scouts from several colonies. You will soon have to take it down, of course - or you will be running out of kit!

Regards, RAB

 

[666bees]

Having caught a swarm today, I want to put it into a full hive rather than the nuc its gone into. Should I rehive it tomorrow or wait a week.

 

[Tom Bick]

Yes good timing indeed. Perhaps another cast from the same hive, and maybe a couple more on their way?

 

[unclesteen]

Well done. Is that the domestic oil tank you've got the bait hive on? If it is you can be sure there are no leaks, but I'd suggest that you move the hive before next oil delivery! You know health and safety and all that c**p.

 

[Jeff Buzz]

No good pure english rainwater

Well done. Is that the domestic oil tank you've got the bait hive on? If it is you can be sure there are no leaks, but I'd suggest that you move the hive before next oil delivery! You know health and safety and all that c**p.

 

[Jeff Buzz]

"""Having caught a swarm today, I want to put it into a full hive rather than the nuc its gone into. Should I rehive it tomorrow or wait a week."""

I will re-hive tomorrow with a frame of brood and another frame of hardend OSR for them to play with.
Then set up the bait hive again.

Worked for me before but please tell me if you think I am wrong more than happy to take advise.

Jeff