First-Year Swarm Box Kit & Swarm Class
What better way to never have to buy bees again, than to get a great swarm box, and hands on learning of how to make it work! Our swarm box is the best on the market, and is the only swarm box made to allow you to over-winter your bees in the box. It's a thrill to catch a swarm, but it's an awful feeling to have them die on you the first year. Our box was designed so your bees have a better chance with you, than in the wild! We are also offering a Swarm Class on Saturday's, starting in April. This class will take you to some of our different swarm location, to bee trees, and to bee yards. The class starts at 1:00PM and goes for a little over 3 hours. There's no better way to become a great swarm catcher, than give the bees a place they actually want to live in, and actually seeing first hand how and where to place your boxes!
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The First-Year Swarm Box Kit is easy to assemble, and built to catch and keep your bees for the first year, or longer. The roof is insulated, and has a propolis screen. The front and rear have entrance disks for easy transportation. The design of the box gives you handles on the top for easy carrying. The front of the box is painted with chalk paint, so you can add notes, like the day the swarm was caught, new queen, etc...
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Bees are very capable of building comb without foundation. Allowing your bees to build their own comb is allowing them to do more of what is right for the bees.
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Because our boxes use 2 deep frames connected together with zip-ties, a little more reinforcement helps to keep the frames from coming apart due to the extra weight.
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Because it's not a good thing to place a swarm box out with a lot of empty frames, because bees might build across them, not them, it's suggested to use foundation when starting a new colony.
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The design of the First-Year Swarm Box is one where the opening offers a lot of protection for the bees, for keeping the elements out, and to defend the hive against predators. The opening is also made to not have to worry about the entrance getting closed by ice or snow--as long as the box is far enough off the ground--and for better airflow in the hive to prevent moisture on the inner sides of the box. The back of the box has another entry disk, but this is more for better ventilation in the summer time. We recommend that you use a good outdoor glue like Titebond 3, or construction adhesive like Loctite PL Premium Construction Adhesive. Though the new insulated roof is designed that it no longer needs to have the protective layer of ice-shield, it is recommended that you make sure the lid gets a fresh coat of paint before winter--if any tiny cracks appear in the plywood from exposure.
Each year offers new challenges, as does each area. Though I do a lot to find good areas to place the swarm boxes in, some areas will be doing great in the spring, and others not so. Last year we had a brood disease running through the area in the Fall, which left a lot of bee trees empty in the Spring. Years like this, your swarm box is competing against empty hives that have a lot to offer the bees. Even though it was a tough year for swarm catching, I was still able to catch over 20 swarms in boxes!
An even more interesting story was from a person that bought one of our boxes, and had a swarm come in to their bee yard. Like most beekeepers, they were trying to fill their empty Langstroth boxes that had died out that winter, so when it came time to get the bees off the branch, they used their empty Lang box and put it on the stand. The next days the people noticed a lot of activity, and they watched the bees move out of the Lang box...and in to the First-Year/Swarm Box that was on a tree about 20 yards away!
An even more interesting story was from a person that bought one of our boxes, and had a swarm come in to their bee yard. Like most beekeepers, they were trying to fill their empty Langstroth boxes that had died out that winter, so when it came time to get the bees off the branch, they used their empty Lang box and put it on the stand. The next days the people noticed a lot of activity, and they watched the bees move out of the Lang box...and in to the First-Year/Swarm Box that was on a tree about 20 yards away!
I used to over winter this way, with all sides covered in bubble wrap, but this year I've been trying a different method that has the boxes way more apart, and allows for the sun to warm the box in the morning and evening. I started to do this when I realized that it was always the box that got the sun in the evening, that came out of winter the strongest.
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The First-Year/Swarm Box evolved over a 7 year period, and today is the result of a lot of trial and error, but also a lot of successes! Like the Thriving Hive Box, the First-Year Swarm Box works more like a tree hollow, and now with an insulated roof, is better in both summer and winter!
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For removals or swarm calls, the narrow box is great, because the bees love that shape, and are less likely to move out! It also doesn't take up as much space in the back of the vehicle, and to carry around with you "just in case". The lite weight, and top handles make it easy to move, and easy to place and remove from trees when you Catch Your Own Bees!
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The size of the First-Year/Swarm Box was tested many times, using many different sizes--in good swarm areas--to see what size the bees would choose. Many people have tried to copy the box from looking at it, but so far not too many have come back with the success stories that the original box produces. You might also find times--like the one above where 2 swarms were in one area--having more than one box pays off with a great return. Generally if one colony was interested in a box, there was probably another that had been looking at it too, but didn't get there in time--before the box got another swarm that moved in.
Getting your box placed early increases your chance of catching swarms. I like to find old apple trees, because you know that if bees are in the area, they will find your box when the trees blossom.
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I read about how bees were attracted to Ley-Lines in the earth, and that big trees often grow where there are intersecting Ley-Lines. I tested it out this year, and this spot got a nice July Swarm
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They say that swarm boxes need to be high in a tree, but most of my swarm boxes get placed where the opening is no more than 5' off the ground! Remember...what goes up, must come down, and getting a fully loaded box is much easier if you don't have to reach too high to get to it!
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The First-Year Swarm Box is a simple box to assemble, but one that does take time to build the parts--so the process is so simple! I changed from selling the fully made boxes to the kits, because of shipping costs. Those that are picking the boxes up--instead of having them shipped--can request that they are assembled when they pick up. You can also request for the boxes to be mostly assembled when shipped, but this will add to your shipping costs, and when you contact us about ordering, we can get you the shipping cost for the way you want the boxes delivered.