Recently I bought a nucleation box to have just in case our colony decided to swarm. Unfortunately I forgot to order brood frames and foundation at the same time. While waiting on the frames I came across this simple swarm catcher idea and decided to give it a try. Would be good to have some honey filled brood frame to place in it but … so I decided to innovate – nothing to loose?
Used the cardboard box in which the nuc box arrived, dimensions of which matched the length of a frame. Used the end flaps to support two super frames and foundation and added some honey comb to entice scout bees in? Used a drill with large wood bit to make entrance ports and vent holes. Wrapped the whole closed box in cling film and re-opened the port and vent holes by piercing the cling film covering them.
Have placed it on a low stone wall in shrubbery for the moment but hope to find a low lying roof as a more permanent home for it. Then all I’ll have to do is wait for a swarm to arrive!