The ideal bait hive?

[Etton]

Plan to set up some bait hives. Any suggestions from successful 'swarm catchers' whats best to put in to attract, best direction to face, ideal height & entrance and is it best in the apiary or away from?

 

[user 6228]

Plan to set up some bait hives. Any suggestions from successful 'swarm catchers' whats best to put in to attract, best direction to face, ideal height & entrance and is it best in the apiary or away from?

google bait hive seeley

 

[pargyle]

I think the box is not that critical - as long as it is big enough for the swarm - I think the thing that attracts swarms most is the smell of bees - I have an empty, well used, hive in the garden with a couple of old combs in it - (still sealed up at present) but ... there's bees all around it.

Definitely on swarm watch now ... drones emerging from drone cells .. been very warm this week and dry ... the little beggars will be getting their 'I'm raising queen cells' T-Shirts on.

 

[REDWOOD]

I think the box is not that critical - as long as it is big enough for the swarm - I think the thing that attracts swarms most is the smell of bees - I have an empty, well used, hive in the garden with a couple of old combs in it - (still sealed up at present) but ... there's bees all around it.

Definitely on swarm watch now ... drones emerging from drone cells .. been very warm this week and dry ... the little beggars will be getting their 'I'm raising queen cells' T-Shirts on.

 

[Erichalfbee]

too

Bees like boxes that smell of bees.
I use poly 14x12 nucs painted with propolis with one old brood comb and waxed top bars. One up on potting shed roof and one on field shelter roof.
Closed floor and small entrance

 

[sputnam]

This is how I do it:
http://www.westcornwallbka.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Bait_hives.pdf

 

[psafloyd]

In my experience, the ideal bait hive consists of equipment you have just cleaned to be put to use and whose loss will be a disadvantage to you.

Plan to set up some bait hives. Any suggestions from successful 'swarm catchers' whats best to put in to attract, best direction to face, ideal height & entrance and is it best in the apiary or away from?

 

[For want of a better word]

This is how I do it:
http://www.westcornwallbka.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Bait_hives.pdf

East Cornwall has a different methodology.......
however I use my Grandad's old bait sausage recipe... and place the bait hive on the intersection of so called leylines, as high up as feasibly possible.

Yeghes da