A swarm attractant turns an empty box into a bait hive that scout bees want to move into. Swarm Boss Premium Bee Lure is a 50mL spray made from terpenoids and other organic compounds that mimic Nasonov pheromone, the scent worker bees fan to guide the colony home. Swarming peaks in the Australian spring, September to November, so bait your traps before the season gets going.
The trap matters as much as the honey bee lure. Swarm Boss's instructions call for a clean, used 8-frame or 10-frame brood box of around 40L with a solid base, because nuc boxes are too small. Fill it with new frames and wax foundation rather than drawn comb, which is likely to attract wax moth. Give two sprays to the underside of the cover and two on the base beside the entrance, narrow the entrance to about 10cm and set the box somewhere conspicuous at roughly 2 metres high. More swarm attractant is not better. Sniff the trap every two weeks and reapply once you can no longer smell it.
A spare brood box makes a ready-made bait hive. Sit it on a solid base from our beehive bottom boards range, and fit the frames with fresh wax foundation so a captured swarm can start building comb straight away.
Swarm Boss Premium Bee Lure is a scientifically based formulation containing various terpenoids and other organic compounds, which accurately mimic Nasonov pheromone.
Set Swarm Traps as follows:
- Select a clean used 8-frame or 10-frame brood box with a non-vented / solid base. The trap needs to be ca 40L – Nuc boxes are too small.
- Apply 2 single sprays of Beewise Swarm Boss to the underside of the cover; and 2 single sprays of Beewise Swarm Boss on the base adjacent to the entrance. Don’t over-do the sprays as more is not better.
- Insert new frames with wax foundation. If you use developed honey comb you are likely to attract wax moths.
- Reduce entrance to about 10cm.
- Place box at a location conspicuous to the bees at height of about 2 metres.
- Lift the rear of the hive 1cm to ensure no water ingress.
- Sniff the Swarm Trap every 2 weeks and if Beewise Swarm Boss cannot be detected by nose, reapply as above.