I made three of these traps today and will finish them up tomorrow and place them out in trees near my community feeders to attract any swarm that shows up from the wild or from one of my own hives.
Despite the fact that my last video was about an October swarm, you should probably hold off until the end of January. Put them out now and you will likely just get these odd small swarms. You want the big spring swarms.
I agree, but I can still merge them with other smaller hives already growing. If I help increase their stores of honey, the odds of them surviving the winter here in Southwest Texas st 1,650 elevation will be better. Our drought this year is not leaving much growing or blooming. Even if a small swarm shows up, I can work to offer them an inside feeder and pollen patties. I only have 11 hives presently. I have been setting up community feeders for two weeks daily and attracted one swarm today that moved in to a trap. Since we look like we will have a mild November and maybe mild December, I feel giving the swarm of any size will allow them time to lay winter bee brood still. Thanks
In Uganda, you should look for some of my later videos on bucket traps where I wrap them in in reflectex if the bucket is not in full shade. If not available there, then aluminum foil or mylar. Many commercially packaged foods have an inner envelope bonded with mylar that can be recycled and patchworked on.
I have had some success trapping swarms with the design that features a brood box over a smaller box with a round hole drilled into the side. I've tried the 'bucket' design without much luck. One thing different about your design is the placement of the hole near the bottom of the bucket. I'll give that a try.
Trying to visualize your set up. A 10 frame deep with an adaptive bottom board mating to a smaller box with the entrance in it so you can just remove the brood box and set it on a regular bottom board? How much smaller is the bottom box?, and is it permanently in position? Have you seen the article in the March 2024 ABJ. Is it the same idea except that it uses nuc boxes?
@@southflbeekeepingwithrich I use either a 10 frame or 8 frame deep, with old frames from a brood box. The deep sits on a box that is 19 7/8" by 16" (10 frame) by 5" high, with a board nailed to the bottom of the lower box. I then drill a couple of 7/8" holes in the side of that lower box. If you catch a swarm, but are slow about removing the 10 (or 8) frame deep, the bees will draw out comb all the way to the bottom of the lower box. (much like if you put a medium frame in a deep box, the bees draw out comb on the bottom of the frame)
OK, got it, When you said smaller box, my brain went somewhere else entirely. You added a shallow box of the same dimensions as the brood box to give it greater depth and make it more attractive, just not another whole super. Always a good idea to add volume to a swarm trap.
Bees don't like light so why not a use black bucket? Need a dab of sealant on the top screws to keep water out. Old Dirt Rooster's dad use to claim that it helped to use a little burnt wood in the trap. He said the bees liked burnt out old tree stumps and sleeked them naturally. A plastic bucket needs all the help it can get. Can't hurt, LOL!
Well, in South Florida bees build their hives on tree branches in full sun so sunlight is not a big issue. Heat inside a black bucket, big issue. While I have never done a video on the upgrade, all of my buckets are now covered in reflectex so that does make it dark inside as well as keeping it cooler. The soft plastic of the bucket makes a good seal against rain and holes around the bottom drain any that comes in, mostly through the entrance. Our rain is often nearly horizonal. I may try burnt wood next year, though that just makes one more thing I would have to remove from the trap before I can "bump and dump" them at the end of the transfer. Thanks for the idea though.
I have caught two swarms so far this season, but so far none with ‘bucket’ design. One was a passive catch with a dead out hive that was sitting on a pallet, about 6 inches off the ground. The other was a ten frame deep, sitting a shallow super (no frames), on a roof about 9 feet off the ground
I have caught 11 with 5 bucket traps, and two with nucs. One was a double stack with frames in the top set up as a swarm trap, the other was just a stack of nuc boxes waiting to be used. none in a 0 frame deep with medium frames in it. Go figure.
Incredible luck. This year I had to take them down until I gave away some of the first swarms. I think I am at 11 swarms. I have had other people bring their traps over and set them out then take them home.
ROFL. 11 swarms last year in 4 buckets, 11 swarms this year in 5 buckets. Avocado trap caught 3 last year and 4 this year. Yep, I catch bees in them. Look back through the catalog of videos for bucket cutouts. 😃
Any color you want. And in a later video I wrapped them all with reflectex when it got really hot. So mine are all silver now. Many people paint them camo.
I did a video on this before, check out past ones. But in short, it is the leftover “sludge” from dissolving propolis in alcohol and is what settles to the bottom. Check out my other videos on making propolis tincture. I use EVERYTHING!
Find my sludge video. After extracting tincture, the propolis is broken down into fine granules and I just save that in rubbing alcohol and paint it on.
oh yes, I have provided it in at least two prior videos, just search for propolis in my videos.. The sludge is what’s left over from making the tincture.
Yes, you can use any color. Darker colors make for a darker interior but absorb more heat. I have done an upgrade that solves the heat issue, and that video comes out May 12th (tomorrow as I am writing this.).
Lack of bees in the area? or hoity-toity snobbish bees that only want a penthouse? I have to hide my buckets to keep from having more swarms than I can handle. Other people in the club have brought their traps to my house and caught bees in a few days after weeks with no luck at their apiaries. Bees gonna do what bees gonna do.
Don't need them, just a few weep holes on the bottom. They even prefer the one hole entrances over the two hole entrances. Remember I don't leave them in there long enough to clog things up.
Interesting, except for the part where you insulted the camera person. Perpendicular to the entrance requires no definition to people who know what perpedicukar means.
I made three of these traps today and will finish them up tomorrow and place them out in trees near my community feeders to attract any swarm that shows up from the wild or from one of my own hives.
Despite the fact that my last video was about an October swarm, you should probably hold off until the end of January. Put them out now and you will likely just get these odd small swarms. You want the big spring swarms.
I agree, but I can still merge them with other smaller hives already growing. If I help increase their stores of honey, the odds of them surviving the winter here in Southwest Texas st 1,650 elevation will be better. Our drought this year is not leaving much growing or blooming. Even if a small swarm shows up, I can work to offer them an inside feeder and pollen patties. I only have 11 hives presently. I have been setting up community feeders for two weeks daily and attracted one swarm today that moved in to a trap. Since we look like we will have a mild November and maybe mild December, I feel giving the swarm of any size will allow them time to lay winter bee brood still. Thanks
That works too.
Thank you so much, i love to try it here in Uganda. Let's keep in touch.
In Uganda, you should look for some of my later videos on bucket traps where I wrap them in in reflectex if the bucket is not in full shade. If not available there, then aluminum foil or mylar. Many commercially packaged foods have an inner envelope bonded with mylar that can be recycled and patchworked on.
Thank for your creative work and knowledge.
You’re welcome, thanks for watching my videos.
"That's something that didn't work so we're not going to spend any time on it".....💪😆
LOL Gus!
Thank you for sharing your BeeKpn work ...
FYI, at less than a month, I have caught my third swarm in that bucket!
I like that idea. Good info from S.C.
Glad it was helpful!
i do like the idea of the rope, you don't have to climb up the tree
to get it down
Just remember the brick in the bottom. So it doesn’t wave around too much.
I have had some success trapping swarms with the design that features a brood box over a smaller box with a round hole drilled into the side. I've tried the 'bucket' design without much luck. One thing different about your design is the placement of the hole near the bottom of the bucket. I'll give that a try.
Trying to visualize your set up. A 10 frame deep with an adaptive bottom board mating to a smaller box with the entrance in it so you can just remove the brood box and set it on a regular bottom board? How much smaller is the bottom box?, and is it permanently in position? Have you seen the article in the March 2024 ABJ. Is it the same idea except that it uses nuc boxes?
@@southflbeekeepingwithrich I use either a 10 frame or 8 frame deep, with old frames from a brood box. The deep sits on a box that is 19 7/8" by 16" (10 frame) by 5" high, with a board nailed to the bottom of the lower box. I then drill a couple of 7/8" holes in the side of that lower box. If you catch a swarm, but are slow about removing the 10 (or 8) frame deep, the bees will draw out comb all the way to the bottom of the lower box. (much like if you put a medium frame in a deep box, the bees draw out comb on the bottom of the frame)
OK, got it, When you said smaller box, my brain went somewhere else entirely. You added a shallow box of the same dimensions as the brood box to give it greater depth and make it more attractive, just not another whole super. Always a good idea to add volume to a swarm trap.
Great work
Glad you like it.
That is a great idea.
You’re welcome and stay tuned for more improvements.
Bees don't like light so why not a use black bucket? Need a dab of sealant on the top screws to keep water out. Old Dirt Rooster's dad use to claim that it helped to use a little burnt wood in the trap. He said the bees liked burnt out old tree stumps and sleeked them naturally. A plastic bucket needs all the help it can get. Can't hurt, LOL!
Well, in South Florida bees build their hives on tree branches in full sun so sunlight is not a big issue. Heat inside a black bucket, big issue. While I have never done a video on the upgrade, all of my buckets are now covered in reflectex so that does make it dark inside as well as keeping it cooler. The soft plastic of the bucket makes a good seal against rain and holes around the bottom drain any that comes in, mostly through the entrance. Our rain is often nearly horizonal. I may try burnt wood next year, though that just makes one more thing I would have to remove from the trap before I can "bump and dump" them at the end of the transfer. Thanks for the idea though.
I have caught two swarms so far this season, but so far none with ‘bucket’ design. One was a passive catch with a dead out hive that was sitting on a pallet, about 6 inches off the ground. The other was a ten frame deep, sitting a shallow super (no frames), on a roof about 9 feet off the ground
I have caught 11 with 5 bucket traps, and two with nucs. One was a double stack with frames in the top set up as a swarm trap, the other was just a stack of nuc boxes waiting to be used. none in a 0 frame deep with medium frames in it. Go figure.
Have you had any luck with this?
Incredible luck. This year I had to take them down until I gave away some of the first swarms. I think I am at 11 swarms. I have had other people bring their traps over and set them out then take them home.
Did you catch anything with it yet?
ROFL. 11 swarms last year in 4 buckets, 11 swarms this year in 5 buckets. Avocado trap caught 3 last year and 4 this year. Yep, I catch bees in them. Look back through the catalog of videos for bucket cutouts. 😃
Did it work?
Oh yes it worked! It has caught 3 swarms in 3 weeks, and I’ve made two more buckets and caught 2 more swarms with those buckets so far.
Great Info ! Does the Bucket have to be white?
Any color you want. And in a later video I wrapped them all with reflectex when it got really hot. So mine are all silver now. Many people paint them camo.
@@southflbeekeepingwithrich Thanks for the quick reply!!
how do you make the tincture of propolis?
I made a video on doing just that in January 2022 - studio.ua-cam.com/users/videoV0QsMn0ijGM/edit
What are you calling sludge? Can you explain what it is? Thanks in advanced
I did a video on this before, check out past ones. But in short, it is the leftover “sludge” from dissolving propolis in alcohol and is what settles to the bottom. Check out my other videos on making propolis tincture. I use EVERYTHING!
I was curious what is Sludge there?
Find my sludge video. After extracting tincture, the propolis is broken down into fine granules and I just save that in rubbing alcohol and paint it on.
Goodday sir. The recipe for that propolis sludge you use will be appreciated. That is to say if you are willing
to provide it. Cobus🐳
oh yes, I have provided it in at least two prior videos, just search for propolis in my videos.. The sludge is what’s left over from making the tincture.
@@southflbeekeepingwithrich Thanks,I will look for it. Cobus🐳
Will any colour bucket do the job? Cobus🐋
Yes, you can use any color. Darker colors make for a darker interior but absorb more heat. I have done an upgrade that solves the heat issue, and that video comes out May 12th (tomorrow as I am writing this.).
What’s not to like about it . Anything is possible, THANKS
So true! Thanks
I’m not sure why the ‘bucket’ design isn’t working for me. It is not for lack of trying
Lack of bees in the area? or hoity-toity snobbish bees that only want a penthouse? I have to hide my buckets to keep from having more swarms than I can handle. Other people in the club have brought their traps to my house and caught bees in a few days after weeks with no luck at their apiaries. Bees gonna do what bees gonna do.
Did not see u put in any vent holes
Don't need them, just a few weep holes on the bottom. They even prefer the one hole entrances over the two hole entrances. Remember I don't leave them in there long enough to clog things up.
Nevermind I just saw the comment below
I'll reply anyway. The Avocado tree bucket caught a total of 7 swarms this season. The others all caught one or two each.
Interesting, except for the part where you insulted the camera person. Perpendicular to the entrance requires no definition to people who know what perpedicukar means.
My wife thanks you for being offended on her behalf, and I have been properly chastised for the way I answer questions sometimes.
@@southflbeekeepingwithrichyou’ll have to forgive him, he knows it all when it comes to beekeeping:)
Learn to spell perpendicular 😂😂😂😂😂
@@southflbeekeepingwithrichnotice how he can’t spell properly
Bee nice 😇@@FullFrontalExposure
Did it work?
Oh yes! The mango tree bucket caught 7 swarms this year. The other 4 one or two each.