I set out the swarm trap today. The rap is a 18in x 15in plywood box that the bars from my Top Bar Hives fit in. It is baited with Lemongrass Oil which is supposed to smell like a queen bee.

These are old bars that still have wax on them. I believe this also helps attract swarms.

I soak a cotton swab with lemongrass oil, paint the entrance hole and place he swab in a plastic bag and hang it in the trap.

The entrance needs to be about 1 inch but I didn’t want birds taking up residence. To prevent this I drilled 4 half inch holes in a square patern. This leaves a cross in the center of the entrance. In the picture it looks like 2 slots because the plywood has chipped away over the last couple of years.

The block of wood under the entrance is a door. Once a swarm takes up residence in the trap I swing the block over the hole and run in the screw to secure it. Once the trap is baited and closed up the only thing left is to hang it in a good spot.

This tree has produced well. I picked it because the year before I decided to get bees I saw a swarm close to it. I average 2 swarms a year from this tree.