Today's vlog is about us hanging one of the swarm traps we've built. This is where all our hard work building the boxes pays off and we get to attach them to trees in hopes of attracting honey bee swarms.

After we've baited the 7 frame Layen's swarm boxes with lemongrass essential oil and propolis (both signaling bees to make home), we ratchet them 15-20 feet up a trees and wait for a swarm to call it a home.

NOTE: The swarm trap we made differs from the plans for the swarm trap.

That swarm trap is made with plywood and is significantly lighter. We live in an area with a ton of cedar and for longevity's sake, beauty, natural appeal and not using a product like plywood, we chose this wood. This is a difficult task and so keep that in mind when you're making your traps. Our idealism can often cause us to work more and we want you to know you can use another type of wood and also hang the traps as low as 10 ft if you aren't able to hang them that high safely!!

As we mentioned in our previous blog we are hanging boxes in hopes of attracting feral or with bees populations to build our natural apiary with. (See that vlog for more basic information.)

This is in alignment with the natural order of things where the strongest genes survive and multiply. When healthy bee colonies swarm, they seek out a new home and this is what we are offering them.

Hanging the Swarm boxes

When placing the boxes, consider the location from the perspective of the bees.

Where will they get water?
What would they be eating?
How easy is it to fly through a certain area?
How easy is it to access the box?
Another factor is how easy is it for YOU to access it?

It's a good idea to put it near an area that you go to frequently and can check if bees have taken up residence. The box can house a swarm for an entire season, but keep in mind the longer it's up, the heavier it will be.

A few tips on placement and things to consider when hanging the box.

Near a source of water
On the edge of a forest or field
Close to an open flightpath so scout bees can access it easily
Hang on a large tree with few low lying branches
Access to bee forage

Once they're up we walk away and check on the periodically. Once we have secured a swarm, we simply close the entrances and take the colony back to it's final location in our natural apiary. Sounds like a sweet deal to us! :)

Thanks for watching.

▶️ DTube
▶️ IPFS

Natural Beekeeping | Hanging the Swarm Trap - Where, What, How (Vlog)