Bait Hives

Talk by David Evans, Emeritus Professor of Virology in the School of Biology, University of St. Andrews.

This talk covers theoretical and practical aspects of swarms and bait hives. Starting with a brief overview of honey bee colony reproduction David then covers the role of scout bees in identifying a new nest site, the process of swarming, bivouacking and then relocation to the chosen location. After a brief digression into capturing swarms David will then discuss setting up bait hives, the choice of box, its location and contents. This covers both scientific studies and how these findings can best be applied to practical beekeeping. Discussion of the contents of the bait hive necessitates another digression into using foundationless frames, which offer particular benefits for bait hives. The talk closes with a discussion of what you can expect to observe when scout bees find and favour your bait hive, and the things you need to do having attracted a swarm – these include moving it somewhere else and managing the Varroa that also arrive with the swarm.

Bookings