Have I caught a swarm

[HowardBgood]

Hi,

I'm a complete beginner, was due to start a local bee course but the obvious happened and it's on hold for now.

Ive put 5 swarm traps out and recently visited one where there is some activity on 2 consecutive days.

My question is, are the bees I'm seeing scouts or has a swarm already moved in?

Watching them for 20 minutes I can see 3 bees just inside the entrance, every 4 or so minutes a bee will exit or a bee will go in.
I don't see the bees going in with any pollen/nectar.

Thanks
Howard

 

[beeno]

Have you got an old brood frame in there which contains some honey? If you do they are robbers.

 

[Anduril]

You are describing scout bees, if you had a swarm, then check the trap in the evening. If there are loads of bees in there then you would have a swarm. What's in your swarm traps?

 

[enrico]

Go there after dusk. Put your ear to the hive and knock on the side. If it buzzes there are bees in there. If not they are just checking it out. The matter is far more likely!
E

 

[Anduril]

Go there after dusk. Put your ear to the hive and knock on the side. If it buzzes there are bees in there. If not they are just checking it out. The matter is far more likely!
E

There can still be bees in there after dusk and no swarm so not definitive.

 

[pargyle]

Go there after dusk. Put your ear to the hive and knock on the side. If it buzzes there are bees in there. If not they are just checking it out. The matter is far more likely!
E

Give it a thump and lift the lid and if there are LOTS of bees in there then you can be certain you have a swarm - I'd be ready to run or put a bee suit on first though !

 

[HowardBgood]

Hi,

I'm a complete beginner, was due to start a local bee course but the obvious happened and it's on hold for now.

Ive put 5 swarm traps out and recently visited one where there is some activity on 2 consecutive days.

My question is, are the bees I'm seeing scouts or has a swarm already moved in?

Watching them for 20 minutes I can see 3 bees just inside the entrance, every 4 or so minutes a bee will exit or a bee will go in.
I don't see the bees going in with any pollen/nectar.

Thanks
Howard

I've only put wax foundation frames in there.
I'll give it another week and see what happens.

Thanks

 

[drex]

When you have a swarm it will be obvious from the greatly increased activity, bees entering and leaving every few seconds. If you have put frames with foundation in just have two, up against the walls. Scout bees fly about inside the bait hive to measure the size of the cavity. If they keep bumping into foundation they will think it smaller than it actually is. They are attracted to the smell of old bee stuff, so I usually put in a frame from which I have cut out the old comb, but if just starting you will not have anything like that. At least with foundation the smell of wax will be an attraction.
The optimum box size is about a national brood, solid floor, facing south and up off the ground. Mine go on shed roof. A few drops of lemongrass oil also attracts them.

 

[enrico]

Take note.... A few drops of Lemmon grass oil. It is potent stuff!
E

 

[Poly Hive]

I keep reading this advice to only have one or two frames in there as the scouts measure the box and the space..... etc etc etc.

I have never set out hives like that and all my swarms over the donkeys years have taken over happily, single brood, double brood and five frame nucs, all fully furnished.

PH

 

[BeeSpace]

Take note.... A few drops of Lemmon grass oil. It is potent stuff!
E

I'll say. Set a swarm trap last year with a couple of drops and must have got some on my hands when putting the lid back on the bottle. Wandered into my workshop to start putting some more boxes and frames together and before I knew it I was sharing the space with a fair few very interested scout bees

 

[Anduril]

I keep reading this advice to only have one or two frames in there as the scouts measure the box and the space..... etc etc etc.

I have never set out hives like that and all my swarms over the donkeys years have taken over happily, single brood, double brood and five frame nucs, all fully furnished.

PH

All mine have been fully furnished and some of them into deadouts I've cleaned up with open mesh floors.

 

[JonnyPicklechin]

"Fully furnished" meaning regardless of size, you had full capacity of FoFs? What about drawn frames? They are also fine?

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[pargyle]

Take note.... A few drops of Lemmon grass oil. It is potent stuff!
E

Yes ... and don't go near any hives if you get any on you ... it is VERY attractive to bees.

 

[Anduril]

"Fully furnished" meaning regardless of size, you had full capacity of FoFs? What about drawn frames? They are also fine?

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I assume you mean frames of foundation and not Fund of Funds, the answer is no, old brood frames yes. Standard brood box, 14x12 brood box or 6 frame 14x12 nuc.

 

[bpmurray]

Hi,

My question is, are the bees I'm seeing scouts or has a swarm already moved in?

The easiest way to verify if a swarm has moved in is to watch the bees - if they're carrying pollen, you definitely have a swarm.

 

[HowardBgood]

Thanks for everyone's replies. I believe what I was seeing were lots of scouts inspecting the trap and space within.

All I can say is that I've got a chance with my homemade traps [emoji1696]

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[Popparand]

I assume you mean frames of foundation and not Fund of Funds, the answer is no, old brood frames yes. Standard brood box, 14x12 brood box or 6 frame 14x12 nuc.

Blimey! Fund of Funds? Bernie Cornfeld. I thought he turned up his toes years ago.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

I keep reading this advice to only have one or two frames in there as the scouts measure the box and the space..... etc etc etc.

I have never set out hives like that and all my swarms over the donkeys years have taken over happily, single brood, double brood and five frame nucs, all fully furnished.

PH

My most successful trap is a fully populated national brood box with one frame of old comb and ten frames of foundation sitting on the roof of an old piggery.. every year it attracts a swarm and some years two.

 

[Codford]

My most successful trap is a fully populated national brood box with one frame of old comb and ten frames of foundation sitting on the roof of an old piggery.. every year it attracts a swarm and some years two.

Interesting. Does anyone else successfully use bait hives with a full set of frames+foundation (and some old comb)?