"Swarm Trap" - new @ Thorne's?

[itma]

On page 25 of the new catalogue there is a "swarm trap" which "catches the queen as she leaves during a swarm".

Looks like an entrance QX plus some other central thingy.
"Needs daily attention" it also says.
£48 - ouch!
National only. "Patented"

Looking online, there is a link to the instructions.
Seems in 'normally' allows Drones to leave but not enter. Then on the days you suspect a swarm might issue (there's the catch ) you "close the door" between at least 10am and 3pm.
http://www.thorne.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&filter_name=swarm trap&product_id=5136

Anyone know anything about this?


Strikes me as being an expensive and awkward gadget, that would only work if you knew pretty accurately when they might go ... in which case, conventional measures should suffice perfectly well.

 

[REDWOOD]

I can't for the life of me see why someone would want one of these. If you conduct regular inspections you know when the hive is going to swarm and take preventative measures.

 

[Hivemaker.]

I can't for the life of me see why someone would want one of these.

Entrance swarm traps of one kind or another have been around for decades, never seem to of become very popular though, i have some which contain three brood combs in an empty box, with hinged lid on top, below is a full width tunnel entrance which is queen included, bees swarm, queen tries to, can't escape, then queen goes up onto empty combs, bees return and join queen on empty combs, then remove these from the top into another box and re locate.

Edit....This model is called the Brice swarm catcher, invented back in the 1930s.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Probably getting geared up for when all the mugs take delivery of their saniflow hives, thus the founding of a new branch of 'leaveitalone' beekeeping called 'dobuggerall' beekeeping

 

[For want of a better word]

I see the magnetic queen badge is still there!

Yeghes da

 

[Hivemaker.]

Anyone know anything about this?

It is the same one they were selling back in 2012, which had at that time been tested for three seasons with 100% success.

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=19835

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=19479&highlight=swarm+trap

Or in 2010 http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=13628&highlight=swarm+trap

On page 32 of the 2013 catalogue.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Probably getting geared up for when all the mugs take delivery of their saniflow hives, thus the founding of a new branch of 'leaveitalone' beekeeping called 'dobuggerall' beekeeping

Saniflow rings a bell - oh I remember it was described thoroughly in the uk.d-i-y newsgroup a while ago. Anyone wanting a good laugh try googling it but don't have a drink near your keyboard unless its waterproof

 

[Dishmop]

Bet the drones would be pleased.

 

[REDWOOD]

Entrance swarm traps of one kind or another have been around for decades, never seem to of become very popular though, i have some which contain three brood combs in an empty box, with hinged lid on top, below is a full width tunnel entrance which is queen included, bees swarm, queen tries to, can't escape, then queen goes up onto empty combs, bees return and join queen on empty combs, then remove these from the top into another box and re locate.

Edit....This model is called the Brice swarm catcher, invented back in the 1930s.[/QUOTE

I quite like that idea, get the timing right could prove to be less of a fuss than doing an AS.

Any pictures or links