Swarming season can be an exciting or stressful time for beekeepers.

If you’re planning to try your luck and set up swarm traps around your apiary, the best lure available might be something as simple as melted wax mixed with propolis.

This natural combination creates an irresistible scent that mimics the smell of an established hive, making it highly attractive to bees on the lookout for a new home.

Why Swarm Traps Are Worth Trying

Even if you’re a seasoned beekeeper or someone looking to experiment, swarm traps are a fun and potentially rewarding project.

In most cases, the swarms you’ll capture (if you’ll capture) are already a part of your apiary.

So taking back some “fugitives” might be something you don’t want to miss.

If you wish to venture out into the forest and place some traps there too, you might find yourself with a new and foreign colony.

In this case, keep in mind to take all the necessary steps to cleanse that colony from varroa mites and provide them with all the necessary resources to accommodate inside your apiary.

Genetic diversity plays a key role inside any apiary and you should look for that on any occasion.

Why Bees Are Drawn to Melted Wax and Propolis

The Familiar Scent of Home: Bees are instinctively drawn to the smell of their hive, which is often a combination of wax, propolis, and the bees themselves.

Melted wax mixed with propolis gives off the familiar scent, making it more likely that scout bees will take notice of your trap.

Propolis and its strong, earthy scent serve as a beacon for bees looking to settle down in a safe and secure environment when considering the fact that bees’ natural homes are up in the trees.

Wax as a Building Material: Melted wax, on the other hand, signals to bees that the location is ready for comb building.

Wax is essential for the construction of brood chambers and honey storage, so a swarm will find a trap with wax an appealing spot to start their new colony.

How to Set Up Your Swarm Trap

To maximize your chances of success, here’s a simple guide to setting up a swarm trap using melted wax and propolis as bait:

1. Find a Good Location: Place your swarm trap about 2m off the ground.

Bees prefer elevated spots with good visibility, especially if the trap is positioned in a shady area.

2. Prepare the Lure: Melt some beeswax and mix it with propolis.

You can either brush this mixture inside the trap or place it in a small container that sits near the entrance of the trap.

Make sure the scent can easily escape to attract passing scouts.

3. Size Matters: Ensure that the swarm trap is large enough to accommodate a full colony.

A volume of about 40 liters is ideal for most swarms, giving them plenty of space to expand.

It’s always a good idea to place some honeycomb frames inside that box.

4. Monitor Regularly: Once the trap is set up, check it every few days to see if a swarm has moved in.

Once a swarm settles in, you’ll want to transfer them into a hive box quickly to give them the best chance of survival.

When to Set Swarm Traps

Swarm traps should be set up during the peak of the swarming season, which usually occurs in late spring or early summer when bee colonies are expanding rapidly.

There are some rare cases when bees decide to swarm during autumn and it can be a good idea to have some boxes prepared for that scenario too.