Just to add a bit to the excellent response from Richard.
Bait hives / swarm traps work best when well clear of ground level. 6 feet, or more, is considered best. I you have access to a flat section on a house roof it is normally an excellent place to catch swarms.
Obviously this brings lifting climbing and safety issues, but even sitting on top of an old barrel is better than on a hive stand.
Also.....when a colony is scouting for a spot to go to the place they end up is often the first choice. So, when a swarm arrives, as soon as you possibly can, with 24 hours I would say, close it in and take it away to a remote apiary if you have one, and put a second bait hive on exactly the same spot.
You will often get the secondary swarm (caste or cast according to what you read in the past) as well, when you do repeat the process again.
More than one swarming colony in the area may also have selected the same prime real estate.
OK, so half of them will only catch the one swarm, but half will catch more than one.....best was five in 12 days into the same position of bait hive.
Was not near other bees, but WAS at our home base, full of nice bee smelling kit, so quite a swarm magnet.
Yes Great point Murray re height and i would like to add one other, that wherever you place your swarm trap , please don't forget the retrieval afterwards!!
I have screwed up myself but you learn quickly like that.
The swarm trap, high up on a ladder, place in an "ideal position" attracted a huge swarm. I checked the trap and absolutely nothing for most of the season. Seemingly no scout bees etc. so 6 days later, i went to check is and well, the swarm was so big it didn't fit in the box, so bees hanging off the front. It was mid june, so it didn't get dark until 10:30 CET, so i had to collect it late, very late!
There was so many bees i had to use some misted water to try and get them back off the wall and on to the landing strip.Then i used a length of soft foam, not the usual door to shut off the front entrance. This meant i could kind of Push back the huge welcoming committee, as i closed off the entrance.
But my main issue here is the change in weight. A big swarm can load up a 5 framed trap within 2 to 3 days and it just gets heavier and heavier, so please, whatever you do, be prepared to suddenly have a huge weight in your arms and position yourself on the ladder accordingly.
I go for the over the shoulder techniques. I wear my smock top, so you don't haver to worry about getting stung, much....
Then with the bees on my shoulder, and one arm supporting it, the other hand is free to hold on to the ladder. Its something you really aren't aware of until you have to get that box down, so please remember, its Darned heavy!!!
Falling off a ladder is one thing, but falling off a ladder with a heavy hive is another, the consequences when that heavy hive lands on top of you don't bear thinking about, not to mention the swarms from those Darling AMM which is the usual. Never expect them to be happy!!
