Just to pick up on a few of the comments above: I have a number of bait hives in position around my out apiaries and as with previous years, all have attracted swarms (including one with a clipped queen from one of my own hives twenty odd feet away.... who says clipped queens cant fly?) Following a tip from a friend, I have used these swarms to populate mating hives and Nucs.
I have been a little quicker to look into the bait hives this year once they have been occupied and it is interesting that in each case, the bees have preferred to first draw out comb on frames with starter strips rather than use already drawn foundation. This accords with some of Dave Cushman's observations about giving the swarm a space in which they can cluster en masse without any obstacles in the way. My bait hives have been made up with 2 to 4 frames of old brood comb, sometimes a couple of frames of foundation and the box has been filled up with previously used frames with starter strips of foundation in them. The boxes vary as to whether the frames are running warm or cold. Any bait hives I place next year will only bear one or two old brood frames and the rest will be wired frames with starter strips. Filling the box out with the wired frames seems to ensure that they do not draw down comb from the roof or crown board.
I have a couple of Seeley's books sitting at home to read.... just have to finish Mark Winston's book first!
