FLOWER POT SWARM TRAP

First of all a Swarm Trap is not actually a Trap as such. The Honeybees are FREE to come and go as they please. You can buy the Pressed Fiber Flower Pot Swarm Traps for around $23.00 or so plus shipping from Honey Bee Supply Companies or you can make your own for around $7.00 or so.

At the end of there will be links to get everything you need.

A flower pot swarm trap is nothing but a pressed fiber pot attached to a piece of plywood. It forms a dark, dry cavity that the bees like.

I take a piece of plywood, new or used around 24 inches x 18 inches.

I have fastened 2 pieces together to have a board to mount the pot too.

Glue a piece of old Honey Comb (3 inches wide x 6 inches or so long) to the center of where the pot will sit.



Drill 3 holes approximately 1 inch or so in diameter.

One in the top center down approximately 2 inches, then one in each lower corner.

The top hole is to hang the Swarm Trap on a Screw or Nail. The bottom holes are used to tie a rope in one hole and go around the tree and tie it off on the opposite side. Cinch it down tight so a high wind won’t blow it around.

Now to work on the Pressed Fiber Flower Pot.

I use a Bio-degradable Pressed Fiber Flower Pot 16 inches wide x 13 inches deep.

I use a paper towel wadded up and place over the hole from the inside of the pot. I use spray filler foam and fill the hole from the outside of the pot. Remove the paper towel and move to the next hole and fill it.

Leave one hole open that will be the entrance for the honeybees.

I then take the pots out and spray them with a wood preventive with a squirt bottle set on spray.

I use the Olympus Wood Preventive for it doesn’t have any effect on the Honey Bees.

Spray only the outside of the Swarm Trap.

I have swarm traps I have been using 3 years and are still in good shape.

I then make my bait holder.  I use a large diameter plastic straw like they’d use to drink slushy’s.  I cut it in 2 inch or so lengths. Cut a little notch in one end to put a thumb tack in.

Next stuff it half full of cotton and soak the cotton with Lemon Grass Essence Oil and finish filling the straw with cotton.

Next pin the straw in the inside upper part of the trap. The entrance hole should be down.



Next put the pot on the plywood covering the old comb.

Bail end is to be fastened to the plywood.

Make sure the open hole on the pot is down.

Use 6 wide head 1 ¼ inch screws to fasten the pot to the plywood.

Just run the screw thru the lip at the base of the pot. (open end)

You now have a Swarm Trap ready to set out.

Where to Place a Swarm Trap

Anywhere you see bees foraging flowers or in or around fruit trees.

Find a spot about 30% shade and hang the trap Vertical or Horizantal about 6-8 feet off the ground. 

I try to have the trap face South, or East with a clear flight path to and from the entrance of the swarm trap.

A lot of times bees will be checking out the trap before you can get it setup.

When the honey bees are foraging in the spring they are also checking out new locations for a swarm of bees to relocate.

When bees are checking out the swarm trap there will be bees flying in and out of the trap. I’ve seen as high as a cluster of 3 or more pounds of bees hanging on the trap. But they have not taken the trap yet. Leave the trap alone. Only, I repeat Only when you see honey bees going inside the trap with pollen on their legs have they taken the trap.

That means they have moved in and have started building wax cells for the queen to lay eggs and bees to store food.

Just put a rag in the entrance or a piece of duct tape and take it home.

Be sure when transporting the swarm trap it is kept in the same position it was in when it was hanging in the tree. This keeps the new comb which is heavy from breaking and smashing bees and the queen.

When putting the bees in a hive, you need to do a cut out.

You can hang the swarm trap up and move the bees to a hive at a later date if you need too. Just remove the tape or rag from the entrance and they will be fine.

Now to move the bees to a hive cut out the wax comb one at a time.

Place an empty frame on a table and place the comb on the frame.

Trim the comb to fit the frame.

Use rubber bands to hold the comb in place.

Only use comb with brood in it.

Just pour the bees out of the trap into the hive.

Place the trap with straggler bees down next to the hive.

They will go to the hive in a short time.

When the bees have repaired the comb they will cut the rubber bands and drag them out of the hive.

I set 18 of these traps out in the city of Searcy, Arkansas in the spring of 2014 and caught 19 swarms.

Total swarms caught during 2014 was 63.

I call them FREE BEES!

Here are the links to find the Pots and supplies.

Here is the link for the lemon grass essence oil.

http://www.bulkapothecary.com/lemongrass-essential-oil.html

Here is the link for the plastic straws

http://www.walmart.com/search/?query=milkshake%20straws&method=related

Here is the link to the pressed fiber pots.

http://www.greenhousemegastore.com/product/western-pulp-round-pots/biodegradable-pots

There will be a pot and a drop down menu next to the pot picture.

Scroll down to the 16x13 3/8 inch pot.  That is 16 inches wide by 13 3/8 inches deep.

The wide head screws can be bought at any hardware store.

If you have any questions feel free to call or email me anytime.

Richard Vardaman “The Bee Guy”   501-593-5324

Capt44@rvbees.com









GET YOUR TRAPS READY FOR SPRING!

So why does anyone want to trap a swarm anyway?

"FREE BEES" of course!

Bees in a swarm work extra hard to get ready for winter. So I'll take a swarm over a package or most Nucs anyday. If a colony of bees is healthy enough to swarm, there is something good going on in that colony and will be passed on. You can evaluate the colony all summer long anddecide if the queen and colony are worth keeping that fall.

What exactly is a swarm trap?

A swarm trap is a container or box that mimics an old beehive. It should be around 40 liters in size. You can put old bee comb in the trap to make it have that hive smell. In a box you can put an old brood frame that is empty.

Add some Queen Pheromone Lure or 3 or 4 drops of Lemon Grass Essence Oil and that will attract the bees to the hive. They enter and see a dark void that smells of bees wax and no light. They will mark that spot and usually be back when their hive swarms.

Where to set a Swarm Trap?

I usually look for a spot where bees are foraging flowers and flowering trees. While bees are foraging they are also looking for a new home for they know their hive will get crowded and split or swarm. Find a spot with around 30% shade and a clear flight path too and from the entrance of the trap. I place it about as high as I can reach and secure it tightly to the tree or structure so the wind won't be moving it around. When putting lemon grass essence oil in the trap use it sparingly. Too much will turn bees away instead of attracting them. 2-4 drops on a piece of cotton put in a 2 inch piece of drinking straw works. Have the entrance facing generally East to South so the morning sun will shine on it.



 Knowing when a Swarm has taken the trap.

When you see bees hanging off the trap it does not mean they have taken the swarm trap. It just means they are checking it out. But when you see bees going in with pollen on their legs and seeing drones entering the hive it is an indication the bees have taken the hive. Just close up the entrance and move the trap to your beeyard and install them in a hive at your convienience.

Still have questions? Please contact us anytime! We look forward to hearing from you.

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