How To Make A Honey Bee Trap: Step-by-Step Guide

In this article, we look at how to make a honey bee trap. I have trapped thousands of swarms in my life, and we have tested many different methods. There is a simple tried and tested method that will cost you nearly nothing, and which works really well.

Let’s first have a look at what a swarm of bees wants. They basically have to land somewhere, and send out scouts. The scouts look for an “ideal” spot. One of the things about bees is they have eyes that are great for finding flowers, but really useless for finding cavities to nest in. This is why they often end up nesting in really stupid places.

Bees have a neural network decision-making system for evaluating nesting spots. Scouts go out and find a nesting site and come back and recruit other scouts to go and take a look. These other scouts must find the site and then have a look. Unlike flowers that have a scent, bees have to actually be able to follow the other scouts’ directions, find a hole that has no smell somewhere and have a look. This is much like a government making a decision – it is messy and there is a lot of broken telephone.

What If The Cavity Had Bees In It Before?

If bees find a cavity that had bees in before, it is just so much easier for them to communicate to other bees what to look for. The cavity has a propolis/wax smell that the other bees find easily. If the cavity has a human added scented bait, such as lemongrass, in it, this also helps.

This is why if we want to catch bees, we try to use a trap box that has some sort of scent.

How To Make A Honey Bee Trap Box

The best honey bee trap box you can find is actually just an old beehive that has had bees in it before. This can be either a nucleus or a full beehive box. Nucleus boxes are useful as they are light and you can place them high up in trees. Bees like to look for nesting sites in trees, and you will find a high level of success if the nucleus boxes are placed high up in trees during a strong nectar flow.

Brood boxes are heavy and difficult to carry up trees – remember what goes up empty comes down full of bees. A brood box full of bees and a ladder, at night, is just a set of disasters waiting to happen. I only use nucleus boxes in trees. How to make a honey bee trap box out of a brood box is easy – just place it on the garage and outbuilding rooves.

If you have a place where you can place boxes that is easy to reach, empty brood boxes that have had bees in them are an excellent bait box. I personally enjoy placing these on the rooves of farm buildings, water towers, supermarkets, and golf course water stations. Once years back I even bolted a few rafter planks between trees and placed ten of these boxes onto the planks. This worked well and because of the planks, it was easy to access the boxes, unlike on a tree.

What’s The Best Homemade Bee Trap?

I personally prefer to just use nucleus boxes. When you start with a new box, you can paint the inside with a mixture of old beeswax and propolis. If you go to a big beekeeper and ask them for their “slum gum” from their wax rendering system, this gunk is an amazing bait to paint inside a hive. Just warm it up in a double boiler (never warm wax, propolis, or mixes of these without using a double boiler – beeswax catches alight if you heat it directly).

I use a cheap paintbrush to paint the area near the entrance of the hive and the landing board with a few daps of this gunk. If you want to you can also put a bit of lemongrass lure in the hive.

How Do You Catch A Wild Beehive?

Here we will work on the assumption that this means we are catching a swarm. The easiest way is to put the hive in a place where the chances of a swarm finding it are good. Near a grove of trees in an area with a strong honey flow.

I have had incredible luck catching swarms near Eucalyptus trees, citrus trees, canola fields, and sunflower fields.

How Long Does It Take To Trap Bees?

My personal best was a swarm moving into the box as I carried it up a ladder. Sometimes, for instance when Eucalyptus trees flower, the bees get a level of insanity trying to find nesting sites that are beyond belief. I have no idea how they knew there was a box, or moved in, or if it was just a fluke and the queen flew into the box as I walked up the ladder. But that set a precedent! The bees moved into my catch box before I had nailed it to the tree!

Generally, if you place catch boxes in spring, and they are near a place that has a relatively high population of bees, check the hives every two weeks. You will find that catch boxes fill up very fast in spring if there are a lot of swarms around. This will depend on the quality of beekeepers in your area too. Good beekeepers limit swarming, bad beekeepers do not.

I hope this article has helped you see how to trap bees and how to make a honey bee trap. Once you know how to catch a wild beehive it becomes a useful skill to increase your hive numbers. If you enjoyed it, please share.

Honey Bee Trap FAQs

What is a honey bee trap, and why would I need one?

A honey bee trap, or catch box, is a container designed to attract swarming honey bees and provide them with a suitable nesting site. Beekeepers use these traps to catch wild swarms and expand their apiaries.

What materials do I need to make a honey bee trap?

You can use an old beehive box (preferably one that has been used before) or a nucleus box. You’ll also need beeswax, propolis (or slum gum), a paintbrush, and optionally lemongrass oil as a lure.

Where is the best place to position a honey bee trap?

Place the trap high up in trees, rooftops, or structures near areas with strong nectar flows, such as groves of Eucalyptus trees, citrus orchards, or fields of canola and sunflowers. Bees are naturally attracted to elevated spaces that provide shelter.

How can I increase the chances of bees choosing my trap?

To increase success, ensure the trap box has been used by bees before or paint the interior with a mixture of beeswax and propolis. Additionally, adding a few drops of lemongrass oil near the entrance mimics the scent of queen pheromones, attracting scout bees.

Can I make a honey bee trap without using a pre-used hive?

Yes, you can use a brand-new box, but it is highly recommended to coat the interior with slum gum (a residue from rendering beeswax) or beeswax to replicate the scent of a previously inhabited hive, making it more attractive to swarms.

How long does it take to catch a swarm using a honey bee trap?

The time varies, but during strong nectar flows and swarm seasons (typically spring), it can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. Regularly check your traps every couple of weeks for activity.

What are the signs that bees have moved into my trap?

You will notice increased bee traffic near the entrance of the trap, with bees flying in and out. Sometimes, scout bees will investigate the trap before a swarm arrives. It’s important to check the trap regularly for these signs.

Is it dangerous to check honey bee traps, especially when they are full?

While catching bees involves some risk, if approached calmly and during cooler times of the day, bees are less likely to be defensive. Always wear protective gear when inspecting traps.

Can I use lemongrass oil to attract bees, and how should it be applied?

Yes, lemongrass oil is an excellent lure. Apply a few drops around the entrance of the trap and on the interior walls. This mimics the scent of a queen bee, which is very appealing to swarming bees.

What should I do once bees have moved into my trap?

Once you’ve successfully caught a swarm, relocate the box to a permanent spot. Ideally, transfer the bees to a full-sized hive to manage them effectively and provide them with enough space to thrive.