Swarm Box / Bait Hive Prep

[JamezF]

I just use a 3mm drill bit.

I use a drill bit too, with a jig to position the holes in the same place on every sidebar.

James

 

[Doey]

Ley lines.....yeah!!!







I put out 6 bait hives last year, 1 was on a ley line and the other 5 where placed in random spots and the only hive to catch a swarm was the one on the ley line.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Sounds like you did similar to what I’m proposing and good to hear it was successful. There’s nothing like the anticipation of seeing scout bees at the entrance then suddenly seeing a swarm arrive.

And that magic few minutes when the box having been a frenzy of investigation is suddenly deserted.
Number of frames aside, I paint the inside with propolis using a recipe I picked up from @pargyle

 

[user 20297]

I use a drill bit too, with a jig to position the holes in the same place on every sidebar.

James

My "jig' is a spare side-bar with holes drilled at the points I see fit. Despite repeatedly running the drill through the holes they haven't spread too much. I just place it on top, align by feel and wham the drill through. TBH, it punches as much as it drills.

 

[Newbeeneil]

Eg.
https://www.abelo.co.uk/shop/frames/bee-hive-frame-eyelet-hole-punch/
I just use a 3mm drill bit.

Same here, I find the holes made by the punch are not as easy to thread as the drilled ones.

 

[pargyle]

Eg.
https://www.abelo.co.uk/shop/frames/bee-hive-frame-eyelet-hole-punch/
I just use a 3mm drill bit.

I used to drill them out but I bought one of these punches last year and wondered why I spent 11 years with a pillar drill and inserting the eyelets by hand ! It halves the time taken, no electricity required, with a simple jig you can site the holes/eyelets in the same place in the side bars every time, all in one go ! ... Mine only cost £11.60 in one of the sales... good gadget. I made a small extension to go on the handle to increase the leverage (because I'm a wimp !) but it worked without - be careful buying eyelets though as a few I had left in stock were a bit tight on the punch and didn't work that well.

 

[SixFooter]

I have put up bait hives some years as per the recommended 15" cube. I just added a bit of old frame to each box and put them on top of various sheds, garages etc. I had almost exactly 50 % success rate over the season. In my area it seems lemon grass, lures etc aren't needed. Btw, observing a swarm arriving is a wonderful sight (and sound)

 

[Ian123]

I use a few old frames destined for the melter just cut the wax out leaving a couple of inches max at the top of the frame. If you want lemon grass you can pick it up from most health food type shops.

 

[blackcloud]

Ebay sellers are a cheaper source for essential oils but Ive found once you've had BHs in the same positions for a couple of seasons the feral colonies seem to know where they are and no additional lure is actually needed,although its a noble method of disposing of hive scrapings
Had a late swarm arrive one previous year after I had taken them all down for maintenance and it bounced around from station to station looking for them

 

[Ian123]

I wondered about all the dross at the bottom of the wax melter, pack it into a muslin bag and drop into your bait hive