Bait hives

[Gaz1]

Doing some reading on a wet day When people put out bait hive many say to put in old comb. What stops this getting wax moth? Or is there a shelf life to his long it can be out?

 

[taurus]

My understanding is that frames stored outdoors don't suffer too much with the problem. It is frames stored in sheds which is when the moth strikes. At least I was told to store frames outside to avoid wax moth.

So I'd guess that a bait hive outdoors isn't going to be a problem.

 

[drex]

Storing used brood frames (covered) outside, is so they can be exposed to frost over the winter to kill off wax moth. Old comb in a bait hive makes it more attractive to scouts. No reason why it would not attract the moth too. I use frames that I would otherwise be recycling, so no great loss if chewed up in that season. My frames are stored over winter in sealed stacks in a shed after sulphur treatment. I have no problem with the moth while in storage. I will generally put one old frame and a couple of foundation in bait hives, otherwise the bees build free hanging comb, if you do not spot that the bait hive is occupied, and then it is a mess to get them in a proper hive. I generally chuck the old comb when I rehive them. Also use lemon grass oil as an attractant

 

[MartinL]

Doing some reading on a wet day When people put out bait hive many say to put in old comb. What stops this getting wax moth? Or is there a shelf life to his long it can be out?

Always thought biggest threat from wax moth came during the winter when bees are less active.

Time to be setting bait hives is April or later really.

It's all great Expectations and a bit of pot-luck but I've found through my experience, that the most important factor in setting bait hives is (as Kirsty Alsop might say) location. Well above the ground in warm sun, Lemongrass oil, old comb, propolis, Squashed queen or Flea-bay lures. it's all a bit of a gamble and you can't be sure what sort of swarm you'll catch. Diseased, Defensive, Definitely inclined to swarm?

 

[masterBK]

I always put out several bait hives and they do attract wax moth so every few weeks I retrieve the frames of old comb to put in the freezer for a couple of days to sort them out. When the swarms come I wait until they have sealed the first frame of brood and then take it out and destroy it (gets rid of most of the varroa they bring with them) replacing with frame of foundation

 

[MadAnt]

masterBK... and making gap in their development cycle?

Never bothered about moth in the traps, but rodents and humans.

 

[masterBK]

The gap is not significant representing at most the first day of egg laying in their new "home" but removes the majority of Varroa that have come with the swarm.

 

[MadAnt]

Ah, ok. Could you, please, tell more about your traps.

 

[Millet]

The gap is not significant representing at most the first day of egg laying in their new "home" but removes the majority of Varroa that have come with the swarm.

Just a thought but would it not be better to Vape the swarm before the cells get sealed that way nothing needs to be thrown away.

 

[Plenty of honey]

Doing some reading on a wet day When people put out bait hive many say to put in old comb. What stops this getting wax moth? Or is there a shelf life to his long it can be out?

You can carefully select good combs. Select ones that have no honey or pollen in. it dosent matter if their a little mouldy etc, but no stores thats the important one. I spray a little Bascillus thurgiensys on the frames, seems to stop wax moth developing and honest seem to put them off.
If you dont have any clean combs, you can wash them off with a warm strong shower of water ( but go easy at the start their delicate), I've done this and it does remove all sugar, but not the pollen and pollen is the stuff that wax moth really love! (i was desperate at the start lol) be careful when you shake out the frame afterwards, a slow motion downward motion firm shake outside, otherwise your kitchen or bathroom floor will be drenched. Then leave them dry for a couple of days. Works a treat.
Best of luck.

 

[birdsandbees]

I'd Echo the location definitely, I had two swarms turn up at the same bait hive last year the second one the day after the first! ended up with a very full box.
then another a couple of weeks later, I know that Lay line ideas get a lot of poor responses but having checked this location is very close to a crossing point of lay lines, coincidence?
panning on building a few more this year to dot around and leave at properties where I've carried out cut outs, especially the one I was at yesterday, three colonies around one property and apparently they had another swarm move in last year but seems to have died out over winter.
I do use a small piece of clean comb along with lure and I also rub melted wax on the lid.

 

[Angularity]

Beginners don't have old comb.

 

[birdsandbees]

Beginners don't have old comb.

very true, in which case they would have to rely on using swarm Lure as a their only attractant, while I've caught in smaller boxes aim for 40ltr internal capacity as that's the desired size for them.

 

[Millet]

Beginners don't have old comb.

I had no spare drawn comb last year however what i did have was a golf ball size amount of wax and propolis what i had scraped from the top bars during inspections, i put two new frames of foundation in and scattered the wax and propolis around inside the Nuc which caught a swarm not long after setting it up.

 

[Bucks_Boy]

My fake WBC

I was given a fake WBC compost bin a few years ago by a well meaning local who thought it was a hive.
To wind up a difficult neighbour I put it, empty, in a prominent position in my garden border.
Two years running swarms took up residence and were a pain to take out.
SO last year I added a couple of rails, a couple of holes at the front and put an old National brood box in it to use as a bait hive.
I used a few old combs from my first Bailey changes in the spring and 7 landed last year, 3 prime, 4 casts which, after review and treatment ended up as 5 strong colonies going into winter and 4 emerging queen-rite this spring.

IMHO, its always worth a go once you see drones in your hives and swarming season arrives.