How early should I set out swarm traps ?

[Tommyt]

a waterheater bee hive hanging in a tree.  

Red Neck

Here's your Sign

[wouldliketobee]

It's not actually a water heater like people are thinking I think it is some sort of expansion tank for radiator type heat, it's galvanized and maybe 18 inches in diameter,  right now it is a galvanized piece of pipe 18 inches in diameter after I cut it in half and cut the end out of it ,I was thinking of someone on here that used sonatubes for swarm traps I don't see much difference and this one has already caught one swarm, I have a couple of nucs I built ,one of which caught a swarm last year I don't know if I'll have time to build any more this year it sounds like we are going to start working 7 days a week again.

[wouldliketobee]

a waterheater bee hive hanging in a tree.  

Red Neck

Here's your Sign
I don't mind the redneck remark although I don't consider myself much of one , but the" here' s your sign" remark is saying I'm stupid which I am not!

[G3farms]

Where is BJ when you need him!!

[WPG]

Why is the old queen important?  Isn't it common to have to replace the queen in a trap out?

Sure the queen would be good for the genetics, but getting the queen to  slim down and stop laying gets the hive shut down that much faster.

[Michael Bush]

March, April or May will do fine.  You'll probably have the best luck in May...

[wouldliketobee]

The owner of the bee tree that I was going to trap out , called me last night the hive swarmed and ended up in a cedar tree about 4 foot up I caught the swarm this morning, I plan on starting the trap out next week.