Swarm Trap

[King Scavenger]

Hi all. I am wondering if I am going to trap a swam as, today, 20-30 bees have been in and out of my trap and they have, also, enlarged the enterance as it was a bit small. Could this mean that the bees were getting the trap ready for the queen?

 

[BeeJayBee]

What sort of swarm trap, or bait hive, are you using?

Scout bees will investigate suitable cavities before choosing the one that best suits the needs of a new colony.

You might like to watch "Swarm Intelligence" by Tom Seeley.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1x8T_CHZemE

 

[King Scavenger]

Hi . It's a pine 7 frame national size box with un drawn foundation as I am converting my hives from osb to national and don't have any national drawn foundation. I have bated it with Lemon grass oil.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

You'd be better off with just starter strips and wired frames so the bees can see the size of the box

 

[King Scavenger]

You'd be better off with just starter strips and wired frames so the bees can see the size of the box

Many thanks, Jenkinsbrynmair I will give that a try.

 

[Erichalfbee]

You'd be better off with just starter strips and wired frames so the bees can see the size of the box

If you see how bees explore a potential home you'll understand that. Not only do they measure the perimeter they actually fly across the box. Thomas Seeley's Honeybee Democracy has a wonderful chapter on this.

 

[wessexmario]

I read somewhere recently that bees could count to 2.

I'm not so sure... when scouts survey a new home they seem to do so with deliberation and certainly to a lot more accuracy than "more than 2"

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I read somewhere recently that bees could count to 2.

I'm not so sure... when scouts survey a new home they seem to do so with deliberation and certainly to a lot more accuracy than "more than 2"

no need for any numbers in too small,small, medium, large, big and too big

Bit like the pointless sport of mite counting - all you need is hardly any, a few, quite a bit, too many and oh dear!

 

[Olivia9801]

Can it take a few days of scout bees coming and going inn and out of the swarm trap before the whole colony move in?

 

[Motobiman]

Can it take a few days of scout bees coming and going inn and out of the swarm trap before the whole colony move in?

If my experience is anything to go by it can be weeks and is very dependent on the weather . . . . . .

 

[Gilberdyke John]

If you see how bees explore a potential home you'll understand that. Not only do they measure the perimeter they actually fly across the box. Thomas Seeley's Honeybee Democracy has a wonderful chapter on this.

My bait hives aways contain a full set of frames, 1 of old brood to make the place smell "right" and the rest of foundation. Caught swarms repeatedly last couple of years. Maybe my local area bees aren't so fussy where they move into?