honey bee swarm trap - traditions in wood

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November2,2018

HONEYBEESWARMTRAP

Dr.LeoSharashkinwholivesinsouthernMissourihasprovidedcomprehensiveinformationaboutswarmsandswarmtrappingonhiswebsite.Especiallynotehissuggestionsaboutwheretoplaceandhowtobaitswarmtraps.http://horizontalhive.com/honeybee-swarm-trap/bait-hive-how-to-catch.shtmlTheDr.ThomasSeeley’sclassicpublication(EXCELLENT)aboutswarmtrappingishere:https://ecommons.cornell.edu/handle/1813/2653

Parts:TheswarmtrapconsistsofveryfewpartsandhasbeenconstructedforeaseofassemblybyChrisHeston,ownerofTraditionsinWoodworking.The¾”plywoodisexteriorgradeandmadefromradiatapine.Thepartsareshowninthefigures.Top:A9⅛”x19”panelwithaventilationholecenteredintheboard.Bottom:A9⅛”x19”panelwith4smalldrainholesineachcorner.Sides:Two19⅞”x22”panelswith¾”rabbetsonthesidesandtop,anda¾”dadogroovenearthebottom.Therearesixpilotholesforscrewsalongtheedgeofeachside.Front:A9¼”x22”panelwithanentranceslot,adadogrooveonthebottom,anda1½”framerestonthetop.Ifnotalreadypresent,drilla1/8”pilotholecenteredand3/8”downfromthetopofthebox.Thisisfortheeyescrewthatlocksthelidtothebox.Back:A9¼"x22”panelwithadadogrooveonthebottomanda1½”framerestonthetop.Ifnotalreadypresent,drilla1/8”pilotholecenteredand3/8”downfromthetopofthebox.Thisisfortheeyescrewthatlocksthelidtothebox.Roof:Asheetofpolyethylenematerialwith6pilotholes.Hanger:Ametalbridlethatisboltedtothesidesthroughtheholes.Strap:25-30’Nylonstrapthatistiedtothehangerforhoistingthetrapintoatree.Fasteners:26torskheadscrews(#15bit),3screweyesforlockingtheroofandattachingtheentrancegate,two2x¼”bolts,washers,andnylocnuts,Porch:smallcleattobeplaced⅜”belowtheentranceslotsothatwaterdoesnotenterthebox.

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TopandEntranceClosure:#8wiretobestapledovertheventilationholeinthetop.Apieceofperforatedpolycarbonateplasticisincludedtocovertheentrancewhenaswarmisgoingtobemoved.Theplasticisbeveledononecornersothatitwillrotate.Enhancements:Theinsideoftheboxshouldnotbepainted.However,theinsidecanbetreatedinthreewaystomakeitpossiblymoreattractivetobees.1)ThefirstthingthatIrecommendistouseacircularraspinadrilloradiscwheelinananglegrindertoroughenupthepanels.Researchhasshownthatbeeswillapplypropolistoaroughsurfacemakingthehiveareahealthier.Ialsobelievethebeescanmovearoundinsidetheboxfaster.2)Thesecondenhancementistochar/burntheinsideofthepanels.Nearlyeveryonerecommendscoatingtheinsideoftheboxwithpropolisifitisavailable.Assembly:Tools:Electricdrillfordrivingscrews,#15torskbit,¼”hexdrivebit,7/16”socketdriverorwrenches,rubbermallet,stapler,optionalclampsthatopento20”.TheBox:Layoneofthesidepanelsonaflatsurfacewiththeinsideoftheboxfacingupward.PlaceabeadofTightbondIIglueonthetwosideedges(alongpilotholes)andinthegroove.Insertthebottompanelthatcontains4drainholesinthegrooveonthebottomofthesidepanel.Pressthebottompanelcompletelyintothegroovewithamallet.Centeritsothatthereis3/8”overlapalongthesiderabbets.Next,placethefront(withentranceslot)andbackpanelsontheedgesofthesidepanel.Pressthesepanelsintotheoverlapofthebottompanelsothatfrontandbackpanelsareflushwithedgesofthesidepanel.Applyabeadofgluetothetopedgesofthethreepanels.Nowtakethesecondsidepanelandpressitintoplace.Clamptheboxifnecessary.

Insertscrewsintothepilotholesandscrewthemdown.Whenallscrewsareinplace,gentlyliftandfliptheboxsothatyoucanplacescrewsintheothersidepanel.Tightenthosescrewsandtheboxistogetherforever.TheTopandRoof:Stapleornailthepieceof#8screenovertheventilationholeinthetoppanelanddropitintothebox.PlacethePOLYETHYLENEroofontopoftheboxandcenteritsidetoside.Thenpositiontheroofpanelsothatthereisa½”overhangontheBACKofthebox.[Note:alargeroverhandonthebackoftheboxmaymakeitmoredifficulttohangtheboxproperlyinatree.]Isuggestdepressingthearchintheroofpanelsothatthereisa½-¾”spacebetweenthetoppanelandtheroof.Thiswillallowforadequateventilation.Drivethehexheadscrewsintothetoppanelthroughthepilotholes.Thescrewstodonotneedtobedrivendowntight.TheHanger:Bolt(¼”x2”)themetalbrackettothesidesusingthepilotholes.Useanylocnutandflatwasherontheinsideoftheboxandoutsideofthehanger.DONOTTIGHTENDOWNTHENUT–YOUNEEDTHEBOLTLENGTHSOTHATTHEHANGERWILLCLEARTHEROOF.Tiethenylonstraptothehanger.Painting:

Bottomboard

Frontandbackboards

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Primeandpainttheoutsideoftheboxasyouwouldanyotherbeehivecomponent.Alightercolorisoftenrecommendedsothattheboxdoesnotgettoohot.Baiting:

AccordingtoMichaelBush,theauthorofthePracticalBeekeeperbook,thethreemostimportantthingsforaswarmtraparelocation,locationandlocation.Lemongrassoilmimicsthepheromonethatscoutbeesreleasewhenlookingforanewhomeandhasbeensaidtodoubleyourchancesatluringaswarmtoahiveortrap.IhavehadgoodsuccesswiththeNOWbrandoflemongrassoil.Justputadroportwo(andnomore)oftheoilinsidetheentranceofyourhive.Ialsoputadroponapieceofpapertowelandplaceitinasandwichbag.Iputthisontopoftheframesandperforatethebagwithaknifeblade.Youcanrefreshtheoilweeklytokeepthescentfresh.Ifyoucansmelltheoilthebeescan!!Oldbroodframeswhichcontainbroodpheromonealsoarerecommendedluresthatattractstheswarm.Thebestbetistousealloftheserecommendationsatthesametime.Deploying:

Locateanappropriatetreewithalimborstubstickingoutfromthetrunk.Irecommendgettingapieceoflightweightcottonstringandattachingaweighttoit.Throwtheweightoverthelimbwhereyouwanttosuspendthebox.Oncethestringisintheproperplace,attachoneendofthecottonstringtothenylonstrapandpullthestrapoverthelimb.Hoistingtheboxismucheasierwithtwopersons.Haveonepersonpullonthestrapandtheotherpersonguidetheboxupwardusingapoleorrake.Oncethetrapiswhereyouwantit,usethe

poletofinetunetheorientationofthebox.Aslightangletowardsthefrontisdesiredanditshouldbeplumbfromsidetoside.Oncethebracketispulleduptighttothelimbyoucanusethestrapinmanywaystosecurethetraptothetreesothatthetrapdoesnotspinorrock.Tieoffthestraparoundthetreeoranadjacenttree.Itseemsthatbeeshavelocationcriteriamuchlikedeerhunterswhenputtingupladderstands.IfthereareSAFEladderdeerstandsinyourareatheymightbeaperfectplacetomountaswarmtrap.Hoisttheswarmtrapup

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ontotheplatformofthedeerstandandsecureitwitharatchetstraporrope.Thedisadvantageofdeerstandsarethatyouwillneedtoclimbthestandtoraiseandlowerthetrap.Youmustusecautiontomakesurethescreweyesareinplacetolockthelidontothebox.KEEPTHENYLONSTRAPONTHEHANGER!

Success:

Checktheswarmtrapeveryfewdays.Youmayfirstseescoutbeesinspectingthebox.Whenaswarmmovesinyouwillseehundredsofbeesperminutegoinginandoutoftheboxduringthemiddleoftheday.Asuresignthataqueenisintheboxisifthebeesarebringinginpollen.Swarmsareveryproficientinmakingwax.Iattempttotransferthebeesassoonaspossible(lessthat48hours)toahiveboxsothattheydonotbuildwaxunderneaththeframeswhereitwillbewasted--BECAUSETHEYAREABLETOVIOLATEBEESPACEWHENTHEYARENOTINALANGSTROTHHIVEBOX.

Onceyouareconvincedthataswarmhastakenresidenceintheboxyouneedtopreparetolowerthebox.Hereisalistofusefulitemsinthatregard:

BeesuitandglovesDucttapetosecuretherightsideoftheentrancegate

Earlyinthemorningorlateintheeveningnearlyallofthebeeswillbeinsidethebox.Thisisthetimetoclosetheentrancesothatyouwillcapture99.99%ofthebees.Pivottheperoratedplasticgatedownontotheporchtoblocktheentrance.Thetopisbeeproofwhensecurelyinstalledintothefrontandbackrabbetsofthebox.

Nextyouneedtopreparetomovethebeesfromtheswarmtrapintoaregularhive.Hereisalistofusefulitemsinthatregard:BeesuitandglovesSmokerHivetoolsandframelifterHivestand–concreteblocksorwoodenstandHivebottomboardDeephivebodyboxwithatleast6framesandfoundationFrontquartjarfeeder,framefeeder,ortopfeeder(withventilationboxorsuperboxifusingtopfeeder)InnercoverTopcover

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Positiontheswarmtrapnexttothenewhive.Startbyaddingafewpuffsofsmokethroughtheentranceoftheswarmbox.Thenremovethetopoftheswarmbox.Ifyouhavealarge“primary”swarmyoushouldseebeescoveringalloftheframes.Slowlytransfertheframesofbeesintothecenterareaofthehiveboxinthesameorderastheywereintheswarmtrap.Itisbesttomovetwoorthreeframesatatimesothatyouminimizepotentialdamagetothequeen.Addadditionalframesuntilyouhaveatotaloften/eightinthehivebox.Usingthehivetool,compressthe10framesintothemiddleofthebox.Atthispointyoumaystillhavelotsofbees(Ihad1000sormore)intheswarmbox.Thesimplethingtodoisturntheboxupsidedownontopofthehivesothattheswarmboxoverlapstoprovideanopening.Allofthebeeswillworktheirwayintothehiveinacoupleofhours.Laterintheseasonyoumaycatch“afterswarms”thataresmallerandcover3-5frames.Thesearestilllargerthanacommercialpackageofbeesandareveryviable.In2018Iamgoingtotransferthesetonucboxes.MichaelBush(authorofThePracticalBeekeeper)suggestsinstallingbeesintheminimalamountofspaceandthentransferthemtolargerboxesastheyfillouttheframes–80%rule.Feedingtheswarmthefirstcoupleofweeksmaysubstantiallyincreasethebeessurvival.Whateveryoudoyouhavetowatchforrobbing!!

• Ifyouareusingaframefeederyouwillreplacesomeoftheemptysideframesandaddsugarsolutionatthispoint.Ifyouareusingatopfeederaddtheextraboxtoholdthefeeder.Fillthefeederwithsugarsolution.

• Ifyouareusingafrontfeederyouwillinstallitlastonthebottomboard.

Placetheinnercoverandtopcoverontothehive.Checkthefeederandaddsugarsolutioneverycoupleofdays–especiallyiftheweatherislimitingforagingforthebees.

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Hereisaneasywaytomovetheswarmtrapifyourvehicleisnotcloseby.Itcanbeespeciallyheavywhenyoucatchalargeswarmthathasbeenintheboxseveraldays.