Catching Swarms the easy way. The Swarm Trap / Bait Hive!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 6 ก.ย. 2024
- In this video I talk about catching swarms! Specifically how to catch swarm in swarm traps.
I talk about how to set it up, where to place them and show you some of my swarm traps.
Swarm traps are a great way to catch bees for free!
If you would like to find out more about me you can visit my website on www.gwenyngruffydd.co.uk
Or find me on Social media on @GwenynGruffydd
I watched is video a month ago, after losing my two colonies during the winter. I decided to use all the supers, brood boxes, floors and roofs I had, to make up six bait hives.
They have been out for 3 weeks. 5 of the 6 set up now have colonies in with a lot of interest in number 6.
Absolutely incredible.
Thank you
Amazing result!! 😄👏🏻👏🏻
Gruff ,serious now , I learn so much through your vids , I made a swarm trap out of some old pallet wood , about 40L in size , had nothing in it for a bit , then remembered this vid that it had to be about a metre up at least , banged on 4 lengths of pallet wood as legs , massive swarm later the same day! Big thank you for the tips !
excellent news!!! 😄😄 Glad you caught a swarm 👍🏻👍🏻
@@gwenyngruffydd aye good , got em in the national with some drawn comb and a super, will check them in a few weeks!
Give them plenty of feed and they will look after you 😊👍🏻
@@gwenyngruffydd aye banged in 3L of syrup with some of that vitafeed power mixed in
Rocket fuel!! 😃💪🏻💪🏻
I've not caught a swarm in a trap, but have had a swarm take up residence in one of my empty hives! It turned out to be a great swarm too - built up quickly and a great producer.
Hi Clive, that's excellent news!! 👍🏻
Just caught two swarms out of my own colony that I had already made a split from about a month ago. With weather improving now, and a whole week of sunny weather forecasted, we can finally hope for some good mating flights and some laying queens. Fingers and toes are firmly crossed.
Absolutely...the weather has been horrendous
Non stop rain here in southern USA. Got 6 inches in the past week. Been at least 2-3 inches a week since March. Trying to get queens mated also. Lost a few hives this past winter when we had -10F.
Been the worst spring since records began here! Hawthorn is starting to give thankfully.
I got 2 bait hives and in the last week or so they been busy catching swarms🤣 I just use 1 old black comb and I find starter strips work better than foundation. I them swap them out for foundation. Catch several every year. Thanks for the video and keep up the good work 🐝🐝🐝
Thank you. Sounds like your a pro at it. 😊👍🏻😃
Caught my first swarm, this week (hoorah). Being a relative newbie, it is such a great feeling
Great job! I still enjoy catching swarms too!! 😄
Got my first yesterday.. Jay.. now back on rolling again. Good Luck!
Great video. Had my first swarm yesterday, managed to get it into a nuc. Hope your bees are doing ok now the warm weather has arrived. Best wishes. Peter
Great news Peter! Hopefully they will supply you with some honey! 😊
I caught a Swarm in NS Canada ! Super exciting .. I saw a U-tuber that was big into swarm catching and he said he never caught a swarm in a bait hive that had a screen bottom board..
It’s true swarms prefer solid floors but I have caught plenty with mesh floors too 😊
Might go to the auction in Newcastle Emlyn tomorrow and buy a brood box or two 😁Great channel and very well narrated and informed opinion. Diolch!
Diolch Peter 😊
I caught a lovely swarm in a bait box, I’ve had it out for four years but only this year it produced the goods.
Congratulations 😊👍🏻 hopefully it was worth the wait!
@@gwenyngruffydd I think so, very calm bees that have six frames of brood already! I’m transferring them into a full hive and hopefully we’ll get a bit of honey from them.
How’s the forage in Wales? We’ve had bees on the brink of starvation here in Essex; tons of nectar but days after day of rain. It’s hot and dry now though.
It’s been the worst spring on record for us. But the last 2 days has been really good!! ☀️☀️☀️
@@gwenyngruffydd long may the good weather continue!
Absolutely!! 😄👍🏻👍🏻
Hi Gruff mate, May has been the worst month I’ve ever had with my bees, queen cells all over the place I’ve split everyone off them got no virgins mated plus all the honey they had has been eaten, but man my swarm traps have all been a success caught 4 and 3 swarms captured my apiary just doubled in the space of a week ohhhhhh what a month. Thx Gruff great tips my friend.
That’s sounds like a very eventful month!! May has been the worse one for me too!!
I better wear my beanie when setting my trap 😂😂😂😂 great video thanks for the info
😂😂
We are putting out swarm traps this year
Hope you catch some 😊🤞🏻
I wonder does the yellow container initially attract them. Great vidjo!
Could be....or is it the direction the entrance is pointing towards?
I've found around my area with the Ash dieback we've been having, there are a fair few trees with bees living in the cavities. I would recommend placing swarm traps near these huge dying ash trees. I've counted maybe 5 or 6 wild colonies around the valley, mostly in the dead Ash.
We are going to use bait hives for 1st time this year we have 2, just have to find where to put them now
Good luck! 😊 keep us updated! 🐝🐝
Which months are best?? Should the entrance hole face a certain direction? Or could it have multiple entry points?
I’d have it south facing with one entrance. I’d put them out now.
I'm trying to catch some bees from my apartment. I put a 25l bucket by the window and covered the inside with bees wax. I am also 25m up on the seventh floor so I'm hoping that will help.
🤞🏻🤞🏻
That tree is beautiful! The bees love it. What is it called?
It’s called cotoneaster 😊🐝🐝
@@gwenyngruffydd pedantic point but it is cotoneaster horizontalis. Other forms are pretty and flowery etc etc but seem to be less liked by bees and more liked by wasps.
Good point! Thanks for that. 😊 didn’t occur to me there are several variations.
@@gwenyngruffydd our cotoneaster is a low, driveway, lining, hedge rather than a tree. The bees still love it though. Think the nectar flow must have finished from it though.
Yes it’s definitely coming to the end of it now
What is the name of the plant with flowers that the bees were flying over?
Hi it’s called cotoneaster 😊
What was the flower all the bees were on towards the start of the video
And what are the best flowers for bees in your opinion
Cotoneaster is the flower. Not sure of the variety. But that hands down is the honey bees favourite flower! They go crazy for it.
There are a huge variety of flowers that are really good for bees. Borage is my favourite 😊
What lemongrass oil are you using, as I've read on Facebook groups some work better than others...
I’ve got the proper stuff from France now 😊
Purpose made swarm lure paste
Do you cover the swarm trap or do you keep it open until you have a good number of bees?
Leave it there in till a swarm arrives. You will know when they have moved in.
What is that bush the bees were on
Cotoneaster
@@gwenyngruffydd thanks
😊
Will this work if you have no drawn comb?
Yes but not as effective. But it does work.
There is a swarm of bees in a tree near where I live, they have been there about 2 years.. how close would you put a swarm trap to it, I have permission of the farmer.
Not within 50m. 😊
Thanks.. so over 50m then..?
Yes, to close can be unattractive to them.
@@gwenyngruffydd thanks 👍
1st August. Time to take down the bait hives, or they will be used as winter quarters by all sorts of pests
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