If you are interested at beekeeping and expect ought expand the quantity of bees at your apiary, you can expect ought attract stormy bees using a bait hive or bait box. A bait hive is a fashion of providing a new family because swarming bees and place up a new colony. By profession while bees herd and what they observe because at a new shelter, you can expand your chances of attracting bees ought decide at your bee box.
1. Preparing Your Bait Box
![]()
1) cost your bait box ready at the beginning of herd season. at most regions of the United States, herd season coincides with spring, and the best time ought construct your bait box is towards the beginning while bees are beginning ought herd and search because new homes.
- In New York, herd season goes from can ought June. at Maryland, it begins at April. at the South, it begins earlier, and because early because February at Florida.
- Get at influence with your local beekeeping community if you arenât certain while herd season begins at your area.
![]()
2) utilize a vigorous box with a hole 40 liters (or 1.4 feet) by volume. Swarms repeatedly will no grand boxes with cavities any smaller than this, however during will sometimes receive a larger box. Thereâs no want ought compose a box that exceeds 100 liters.
- The alternative of puzzle can change without changing the effectiveness of the bait box. Plywood is a relatively inexpensive and proper option.
- Itâs feasible ought utilize a vigorous cardboard because the external if you expect a inexpensive and lightweight option. exist careful if you grand ought utilize cardboard, because it will no exist because vigorous because a box with a wooden exterior, and it ought virgin exist used at dry climates.
![]()
3) fabricate a circular entry entire the floor of the hive, chop 1.25 inches at diameter. The entry ought exist able 2 square inches by area.
- Place a division of wire mesh above the entry ought block birds and rodents from entering still allowing bees ought cost and progress freely.
![]()
4) hold an old frame from a vigorous have. Bees passion ought inhabit at places where other bees consume successfully lived before. One dare of using an old frame is the latent of wax moths. The frame can exist protected by applying a produce known because B401 (also called BT or Bacillus Thuringiensis), which kills wax moth larvae because they attempt ought nourish above the frames or combs.
- A frame of drawn search is sometimes used ought attract swarms and supply an district because the queen ought lay if she has mated, however during this increases the dangers of wax moths. check the frames repeatedly and deem applying a wax moth preventive if you utilize drawn comb.
![]()
5) compose certain the upper isolate of the bait box is snug and dry. Seal any cracks that could permit sunlight or water ought enter the box.
- Duct tape can exist used ought seal any marginal cracks or misalignments if needed.
![]()
6) utilize a herd lure ought attract scouts ought investigate your box. herd lures are concoctions designed ought attract a herd by enticing the bees with odors that are pleasing ought them or mimic their ordinary communication scents.
- Lemongrass basic grease is repeatedly recommended because a ordinary herd lure, however during products designed specifically because herd lures are responsible ought exist more effective.
- You can too buy sham pheromones that attract bees by giving the illusion of a previously-occupied beehive.
2. Choosing a place because Your Bait Box
![]()
1) lay the bait box entire an established feral hive. Swarming occurs while a great hive divides its population, consequently if you can discover a place entire an existing, vigorous hive, youâll exist more responsible ought attract scout bees.
- If you already consume your hold bee colonies, you can spot a bait box entire them ought escape losing any population while your colonies assign and swarm.
![]()
2) grand a well-shaded district that is easily visible. Bait boxes left at govern sunlight will repeatedly exist abandoned. choose a place thatâs easily visible both ought compose it easier because scouts ought notice and ought compose it easier because you ought monitor.
![]()
3) spot the box few feet above the ground. This helps hold the box dry, visible, and away from pests and robbers. Some sources advocate keeping the box 15 feet above the ground, however during you can lay it lower because desire because you hold it elevated, dry, and somewhere you can easily investigate and retrieve it.
- Using a hive lie because a fashion of elevating the box is repeatedly sufficient if you donât consume the fashion ought attach a box ought a tree or otherwise lift it higher.
3. place Up and Inspecting Your Bait Box
![]()
1) Carefully spot the box at a fashion that makes it simple ought retrieve later. if youâre placing it above climax of a lie or attaching it ought a tree, attach it firmly enough no ought move, however during able ought exist easily removed later. if you grand ought lay the box at a tree, exist careful handling the box specially if youâre using a ladder, because the box can exist awkward ought trade with.
- If you utilize a wooden box with a detachable top, attempt inserting the nails consequently that a division of the head is sticking up. This makes it easier ought shift the climax while it comes time ought face the bees.
![]()
2) observe because flight nearly the entry ought the box. This is an indicator that bees are too scouting your bee box or consume settled in. if you donât shriek on any bees carrying pollen, give the box a little more days ought permit time ought shriek on if a herd has moved in.
- If bees are carrying pollen, it repeatedly fashion that a herd has decided ought face in, because scouts discharge no cost pollen still searching because new homes. This can exist the best indicator that your bait box has been successful at attracting a swarm.
![]()
3) permit the bees cost settled at the box ago moving them. It takes a little days after the initial scouts achieve because the entire herd ought face in, and few more days because the herd ought cost fully settled. escape moving the bait box too early, which could muse the bees ought abandon the box and search because a family elsewhere.
- Some sources advocate waiting at least two weeks after bees consume moved into a bait box ought shift them ought a eternal hive.
![]()
4) after bees consume settled in, shift them ought a eternal hive. This ought exist done early at the season consequently the colony has time ought department pollen and honey because winter.
- Move the bait hive a little days at a time consequently the bees can meeting ought the modify at place and stand ought discover their new family easily.
- When youâre ready, you can shift any removable frames from the bait hive into the eternal hive and simply dump the bees into the eternal hive. if you discharge this at a flare rain or at the evening, youâll expand the chances that they receive the new hive.
