buckets for swarm traps?

[rwc]

has anyone tried using 5 gallon buckets for swarm traps if so how do you bait etc

[VolunteerK9]

Ive seen JP, a member on here that has several great videos of he and Schawee performing cutouts, remove hives from engine blocks, interior walls of houses, speaker boxes, etc. I suppose that one could uses 5 gallon buckets as well with some degree of success. My idea would be to hang a frame of drawn comb baited with lemongrass oil inside. Once a swarm took up residency, I would want to remove it quickly or else you would be performing a cutout.

Be sure to change your location in your profile, as alot of info could be region specific. Not this info mind you 

Enjoy the forum. There is something here for everyone and a lot of great people with a ton of information to draw from.

[AllenF]

Hang the bucket up by the handle.   Drill a hole in the bottom for an entrance.  Leave the lid on for easy removal.  Place some old comb and lemongrass in there for scent.  Hang them around up high in the early spring.

[Tommyt]

If you do it like Allen said I would also add some wood inside the bucket so the bees can attach more comb and that you can easily take the wood strips out to put in a standard Hive


Tommyt

[G3farms]

I would not think plastic would be a good choice for direct sunlight, it will melt wax comb very easily. There is not any insulating value to the bucke to help protect the comb or the bees once they movein.

[Bee-Bop]

I would think a closed metal bucket, with a hole in the bottom, in the sun would be a oven.

Course, what do I know ?

Bee-Bop

[Tommyt]

I would think a closed metal bucket, with a hole in the bottom, in the sun would be a oven.

Course, what do I know ?

Bee-Bop

Screen vent ?
I thought we were talking Plastic buckets like
Dry wall mud buckets or Dough-nut filling buckets
and if Folks think light would be a factor
Paint the Out side a dark color
But what do I know   

 
Merry Christmas

Tommyt

[Tommyt]

I was going to mention painting it in Camo Colors, but the bees may mis it 


I crack myself up



Tommyt

[rwc]

I am thinking of painting it sort of camo. I am also going to put top bars. Ihave some short pieces left over that will fit . Thanks for all the ideas.I really like this group

[fish_stix]

Why do you want to make life harder than it already is? Just build some 5 or 6 frame nuc boxes and use them for swarm traps. Then you can transfer the frames directly into a hive box.
Use a bucket and you need to keep a constant watch on it and get the bees out pronto, or you will be doing a cutout to get them in a hive. Same with those silly commercial swarm traps that collapse in a rain shower, aren't large enough for a decent size swarm and you have to cut the combs out when transferring. 

[wd]

I had some of these sitting around, bees showed up but never took up residence.

[Tommyt]

Every Party has a Pooper
And We aren't inviting you
    

Why do you want to make life harder than it already is? Just build some 5 or 6 frame nuc boxes and use them for swarm traps. Then you can transfer the frames directly into a hive box.
Use a bucket and you need to keep a constant watch on it and get the bees out pronto, or you will be doing a cutout to get them in a hive. Same with those silly commercial swarm traps that collapse in a rain shower, aren't large enough for a decent size swarm and you have to cut the combs out when transferring. 

[Bee-Bop]

Every Party has a Pooper
And We aren't inviting you
    

Why do you want to make life harder than it already is? Just build some 5 or 6 frame nuc boxes and use them for swarm traps. Then you can transfer the frames directly into a hive box.
Use a bucket and you need to keep a constant watch on it and get the bees out pronto, or you will be doing a cutout to get them in a hive. Same with those silly commercial swarm traps that collapse in a rain shower, aren't large enough for a decent size swarm and you have to cut the combs out when transferring. 

Tommyt
How many hives/swarms you collected ?

I notice as of 9-8-2010 by your posts you have/had none of either.
 Bee-Bop

[JP]

I have a friend who uses 5 gallon buckets and as mentioned lemongrass and an old piece of comb are great attractants.

Also mentioned, why make things harder on yourself? True, but in a jam just about anything could work.

Best swarm trap hands down has to be a super with frames and foundation or even drawn comb. Worried about wax moth spray down with BT.


...JP

[wd]

I haven't tried plastic buckets. I have tried the card board nucs, supers and deeps with frames as mentioned. I'm pretty well convinced that the locations of each are why there isn't any success all though the possibility of management on swarm control has crossed mind.

Good luck!

[Tommyt]

How many hives/swarms you collected ?

I notice as of 9-8-2010 by your posts you have/had none of either. Bee-Bop

Bee-Bop
I meant it as a Joke not to anger NO-One
 In all Honesty
I was posting too fish_stix,He seems to be fine with it.
If he isn't, I'll remove it.
Sorry if the .w.Solstice has gotten too you all ready

Happy New Year

Tommyt

[fish_stix]

Not a problem with me Tommyt! I learned a long time ago that no matter what I post nobody's fist is gonna poke through my monitor screen and knock me out. Besides, at 66 y.o. I can usually figure out whose poking fun or being nasty. 

[kingbee]

The size is OK.  I once saw a wild colony in an old style Huffman 5-gallon metal gas  can and it was in the most unlikely of places to boot.  The trouble IMHO with using plastic buckets is the light it may admit more than the heat.  Bees are not Sun worshipers, and they often refuse to live in or use bee equipment that lets Sun light into the brood nest, especially from above.  That is way you often see bees "inspecting" the joints between supers or hive bodies, they are busy as a bee propolising the daylight out of their hive.