For beekeeping, the emergence of a swarm is a natural process of reproduction, but for the beekeeper, it can incur certain losses. That is why special traps are equipped. Schemes for their construction can be found in the public domain. Catching honey plants using a bee trap with your own hands is not difficult. The main thing is to follow all the rules and requirements.
Appearance of the bait
The material for the bee trap can be fiberboard, plywood, plastic bottle, or any kind of wood. It looks like a box with an inlet and a latch. It can be easily pushed in when carrying or transporting bees. Honeycombs are placed inside the bee package to lure the family.
Ways to arrange a trap with your own hands
You can catch a swarm of bees with devices that differ in appearance. The main requirement is attractiveness to insects. You can make the device yourself according to ready-made drawings that are freely available. The main thing is to make a structure of a suitable size to accommodate the bee colony. It is important to study all the nuances in order to know how to make a do-it-yourself bee trap, which will be as effective as possible.
Use of plywood
The most popular vertical type lure. The material for the manufacture of the bee trap is fiberboard made of fiberboard, boards, plywood. The main thing is that the tree is dry. The elements of the connection should not have a pungent smell, because it can scare away insects.
Cutting plywood for trap (2 pieces)
To make the trap more attractive will help a special tool “Apira”. Also, the tray can be rubbed with aromatic herbs. Externally, the structure can be pasted over with bark.
The box is closed on all sides. And honeycombs with foundation are placed inside. It is necessary to foresee in advance how the frames with honeycombs will be removed. To make a carrier, belts are additionally attached.
What you need to work:
- The main material is plywood with a thickness or dry board with a thickness of 4 mm and 20 mm, respectively;
- Wooden planks 20×20;
- For insulation, you can take polystyrene;
- Connection elements and tools for working with them;
- Protective material for the roof of the trap.
First you need to prepare all the parts for assembly. The connection between the bottom and the main part should not leave any gaps. But on the front of the structure, you only need to equip one notch. It is enough just to make a gap of 100×10 mm. The corners are held together by planks. The side walls are equipped from above with slats with special grooves for installing frames. Longitudinal slats are attached just below.
The lid must be larger than the box. But the roof must fit securely and as tightly as possible to the body. Inside, it is insulated with foam. Then the lid is attached to the base.
The bottom and lid of the bait must be treated with linseed oil to avoid damage to the material. A plywood bee trap can be painted to make it less visible. For convenience, straps and handles can be attached.
Using a plastic bottle
Often, beekeepers make traps not to transport swarms, but to catch pests. People are looking for a way to catch the dirty wasps, which cause a lot of trouble. Even in winter, they can steal honey from hives.
The beekeeper must eliminate the danger in time so as not to lead to lethal consequences. We’ll have to make an elementary bee trap from a bottle. This is a compact model that does not require drawings and calculations.
Wasp trap example
What is required for work:
- Plastic bottle;
- Connection wire or tape;
- Awl to make holes;
- Knife for cutting plastic.
It doesn’t take much effort to make it right. The neck must be cut off. The top of the bottle is then flipped over and placed back in the container. You need to place the bait inside. Next, the trap is fixed in such a place. When the pest enters the device, it no longer finds a way out. It is not required to equip several frames here, since you need to get rid of the wasps.
It is better not to use sweet baits for wasps. They lure bees more. The best option for pests is to pour beer into the trap.
Basic requirements
In order to properly equip the bee bait, certain requirements must be met. The structure is mounted according to the drawing, where everything is indicated in detail. Also, do not forget about the exact dimensions of the bee trap. Otherwise, honey plants will not react to the trap in any way.
Primary requirements:
- The capacity should hold 40 liters. This is the optimal size.
- In terms of volume, the structure should not exceed 60 liters.
- A vertical device is considered better than a horizontal one. For bees, such bodies resemble a hollow, so they are more likely to fly there.
- The mounting material must be free of foreign odors. This will keep insects away.
- You can lure insects with fragrant herbs or specially purchased products.
If the beekeeper has no experience, then it is recommended to make a simple plywood version. Bee trap drawings and optimal dimensions are freely available. You can choose the appropriate option for a specific situation.
Plywood trap scheme
Where to set bee traps
It is not enough to make the right bee-catching device. You also need to correctly understand where to put the bait. If the beekeeper is experienced, then he knows exactly where to set the traps for the bees. The main thing is to observe insects.
Better to choose a large tree on the outskirts of a flat or garden area. It is good when there is a pond with drinking liquid for bees nearby. Areas with a lot of light are not suitable for mounting the structure. The optimum height is no more than 6-8 m.
If the bees do not travel long distances, then you can place a trap in the apiary, choosing a place where insects often visit. The installation site can be a raspberry tree, a pine tree, the roof of a house. The main thing is to stay away from high voltage lines.
It is good when there are places for collecting honey or just flowering plants nearby. The installation time must be chosen based on the average departure of the swarm to the region. The scouts have already managed to visit the locations of the structure. It will be possible to observe several insects that are trapped. Within a month, the whole swarm will be caught, so they put the bait on the bees.
Terms of use and installation
The beekeeper should know the approximate time of swarming of the bee colony. By this time, the traps should already be ready. It is necessary not only to know the place of installation, but also the rules for placing structures.
It is important to get the scout bees into the trap. The whole family follows them. Scouts can start their work 2 weeks before swarming. It is important to ensure that all insect trapping devices are installed at this time.
We set and check traps according to the rules:
- It is necessary to provide protection from bad weather conditions, but it is clearly visible;
- There should be no anthills nearby;
- It is necessary to observe the swarm and choose the place of their most private visit;
- To prevent the container from falling, the branch must be strong enough, ideally shaded;
- A rope or wire is used as an attachment;
- It is better to choose single trees, and there should not be swampy areas nearby;
- Wild bees can be caught in the outdoor area.
Features of capturing a swarm of bees
Catching a swarm is easy if the trap is properly constructed and placed. The bait is easily created from the drawings. At the same time, you need to know the swarming time in order to place the installation on time.
The novice beekeeper can catch stray bees. The construction required for catching insects is installed at a distance of 3 m from the apiary.
Wild bees have significant advantages: weather resistance, good work efficiency and the ability to withstand the cold.
The nests of wild insects are placed in the trees. There is usually a source of drinking water nearby. Before installing the bait, it is better to observe the swarm a little. The design made will work in the places where they are most often visited.
Catching bees with traps can be done all summer. An empty hive is often used for this. Then additional construction and erection is not required.
Features of fishing with an empty hive:
- There must be 6 frames in the evidence. Deviation is unacceptable, because then the bees may simply not notice the dwelling.
- It is better to rub the walls of the evidence with dry aromatic herbs.
- The placement of the structure should exceed 3 m from the apiary. Otherwise, their own family can move into a new home.
Checking the hive should be regular. But it is forbidden to move the structure. First, scout bees choose places from swarms, they can find a hive, and when the owner returns, he will rearrange it.
When to test the trap
It is better to check the traps daily, the more often the better. Otherwise, in such conditions, the bees will begin to carry honey into the structure. And this will make it an order of magnitude heavier, which will complicate transportation. When transporting, the tray must be closed.
The bee trap can act as a box with a tray, slats and combs. You can make the bait yourself using plywood or even a bottle. It all depends on the purpose of the design. The installation site is selected based on a number of rules and recommendations.
