How to catch stingless bee swarms with bait hives
A practical guide to setting up bait hives (swarm traps) and catching stingless bee swarms: where to place them, attractants, and how to transfer to a permanent box.
Bait hives are the most sustainable way to grow your meliponary: instead of taking colonies from the wild, you attract swarms looking for a new home. Here's how to improve your odds.
Where to place the trap
- 1.5–3 m above ground, sheltered from rain and direct sun
- Near forage and existing colonies
- Entrance facing sunrise, away from ant nests
Helpful attractants
Wax and propolis (geopropolis) from the same species inside the box increase attraction. Avoid residue from other species, which may repel.
When and how to transfer
Once you confirm brood and food pots, move the trap into a permanent box (INPA, etc.) at night or early morning, with the colony calm. Log the date — it's the start of the new colony's timeline.
In BeeApp you register the trap, track the capture, and transfer it into a permanent box while keeping the colony's full history and traceability.