Best Swarm Traps and Lures: How to Catch a Honey Bee Swarm

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A swarm trap (or bait hive) is an empty box hung up in spring to tempt a passing honey bee swarm to move in. The traps that work best copy what scout bees look for: a dry cavity of about 40 liters with a small entrance, hung a few meters off the ground and baited with a swarm lure or an old brood comb. Below are the traps and lures we would buy, followed by the research behind a good bait hive and what to do once bees move in.

Honey Garage did not hands-on test these products. Our picks are based on the makers’ listed specifications, how each design matches the research on nest-site choice, and our own beekeeping experience.

Our swarm trap and lure picks at a glance

The best swarm traps

1. The Interceptor Pro Swarm Trap Kit (best ready-to-hang trap)

The Interceptor Pro arrives assembled and baited, so it is the quickest way to get a trap up before swarm season. The kit includes frames with foundation, a swarm lure and a real beeswax coating inside, plus a tree strap and hooks for hanging. It is not made of wood, which the maker says makes it lighter than a wooden box, a real help when you are on a ladder lifting it 3 to 5 meters up a tree.

Because it comes with frames and foundation, a caught swarm starts building comb on them rather than on the walls and lid, which makes moving the bees into a hive far easier and less messy. The maker says the Interceptor Pro is used by professional swarm trappers, and a ready-baited kit is the least fiddly way for a first-timer to get a trap up in time.

• Good: Complete kit with frames, foundation, lure and wax coating; lighter than wood; strap and hooks included
• Watch for: Stock was low when we checked. Confirm the frames match your hive before you buy, and refresh the lure each season.

2. Little Larue 5-Frame Wooden Swarm Trap (best for Langstroth beekeepers)

This is a plain wooden box sized for five Langstroth frames, which is the design many trappers prefer: when a swarm moves in, you simply lift the frames straight into your hive in the same order. It comes fully assembled with a tree hanger, so there is nothing to build, and it is reusable year after year.

Frames are not included, so add your own. Ideally use one old, disease-free drawn comb plus a few frames of foundation or starter strips. Pair it with one of the lures below. A 5-frame box is smaller than the 40 liters swarms preferred in Seeley’s experiments, but it is much easier to hang and take down.

• Good: Langstroth-compatible 5-frame size; assembled with tree hanger; wood; reusable
• Watch for: No frames and no lure in the box. Fewer owner reviews than the other picks, and it shipped in 4 to 5 days when we checked.

Prefer to build your own? A spare 10-frame deep box closed top and bottom, or a plywood box of about 40 liters, works just as well. See how to build a bee swarm trap.

The best swarm lures and bee attractants

When beekeepers say “bee attractant” they usually mean a swarm lure. Most lures copy the Nasonov pheromone, the lemony scent worker bees fan from a gland near the tip of the abdomen to say “come here”. Scouts that find a box smelling of it are more likely to take a closer look. Lures for honey bees are not the same as the attractants sold for carpenter bee traps; for those, see our carpenter bee trap guide.

3. Bee Bait Swarm Lure, 1 oz Dropper (best liquid lure)

Bee Bait combines a synthetic Nasonov pheromone with natural ingredients in a 1 oz dropper bottle. The dropper lets you put a measured few drops inside each trap, on a cotton ball or the top bar of a frame, rather than splashing it about. The maker says an unopened bottle lasts up to two years, so one bottle can cover more than one swarm season. It works in any trap, bought or homemade, and suits beekeepers with just a few boxes.

• Good: Synthetic Nasonov pheromone plus natural ingredients; dropper for precise dosing; long shelf life (maker)
• Watch for: Liquid lure fades in warm weather once applied, so plan to re-apply during the season.

4. Swarm Lure Spray, 2 oz (best for baiting many traps)

This spray lure mimics the Nasonov pheromone and comes in a 2 oz bottle that the maker says is enough for about 100 traps. That makes it the most economical pick if you run a line of traps or like to re-bait often. A spray is quick to use: a short spritz inside the box near the entrance, not all over the outside. The maker says it is formulated to last two years or more on the shelf.

• Good: Nasonov-mimic spray; covers about 100 traps (maker); 2+ year shelf life (maker)
• Watch for: Easy to overdo with a spray. A light application is enough, and it needs refreshing more often than a slow-release lure.

5. Swarm Commander Super Lure (best slow-release lure)

The Super Lure hangs inside the trap on an elastic band and, according to the maker, lasts a minimum of 90 days. That covers a typical spring swarm season in one go, so it suits traps that are high up or hard to reach. After a capture you can take it out and reuse it in another trap, which the maker lists as a feature. It is a good match for the Little Larue box or a homemade bait hive.

• Good: Hang-in, slow-release; at least 90 days (maker); elastic band; reusable after a capture
• Watch for: One lure per pack. Hang it where it will not block the entrance or get glued in with comb.

6. Swarm Commander Premium Crush Vials, 5-Pack (best for refreshing traps)

These vials from Blythewood Bee Co. are simple: crush one, swab the scent around the entrance, then drop the vial inside the trap. The maker says each lasts more than 20 days and has a two-year shelf life, so spares keep until next spring. With five in a pack they work well for baiting several traps at once, or for giving a trap a fresh boost halfway through swarm season when a longer-lasting lure is fading.

• Good: 5 vials; crush, swab and drop in; 20+ days each (maker); 2-year shelf life
• Watch for: Shorter-lived than the Super Lure, so a full season may need two or three vials per trap.

What makes a good bait hive: Seeley’s research

Cornell bee biologist Thomas Seeley spent years studying how swarms choose a home, work he later described in his book Honeybee Democracy. In experiments with bait hives published with Roger Morse in 1978, swarms showed clear preferences:

The same study suggested swarms prefer sites more than about 300 m from the colony they left, so a trap a short distance from your own apiary is a good bet. Traps inside the apiary still catch swarms, often your own, which is no bad thing.

One old, dark brood comb is the classic bait. The Cornell bulletin itself did not advise using old comb, and the Mid-Atlantic Apiculture Research and Extension Consortium (MAAREC) warns that any old comb must be free of American foulbrood, and that exposed comb attracts wax moths, so use it only during the spring swarm season. Never use comb from a colony that died of unknown causes. For more on why and when colonies leave, see why and how bees swarm.

DIY swarm lure: lemongrass oil

Lemongrass essential oil contains citral and geraniol, two of the compounds in the Nasonov pheromone, which is why it attracts scout bees. It is the cheapest lure there is:

• Put a few drops (about 3–5) on a cotton ball or the top bar of a frame inside the trap, not on the outside of the box.
• Seal it in a small plastic bag with a pinhole, or a pill bottle with a hole in the lid, to slow evaporation.
• Refresh every week or two, since the oil fades quickly in warm weather.
• Do not soak the box. More is not better: beekeepers find a strong smell can put scouts off.

Commercial lures last longer and have a more complete pheromone blend, which is why many trappers use lemongrass as a top-up rather than their only bait.

Where and when to put up a swarm trap

Hang traps a couple of weeks before swarming starts. In much of the US the main swarm season runs from about April to June, peaking after fruit trees bloom, but it shifts with your climate. Ask a local club when swarms usually appear. A smaller second wave sometimes comes in late summer.

• Height: 3–5 m (10–15 ft) if you can take it down safely with a full box inside. A trap with a swarm can weigh several pounds more than when you hung it.
• Landmarks: a trunk at the edge of a wood, a lone tree in a field, or a fence line. Scouts find prominent spots faster.
• Shade: dappled shade in the afternoon keeps a new colony from overheating.
• Security: strap it firmly so wind cannot turn it, and keep the lid rainproof.

For the full swarm-catching routine, including collecting clusters from branches, see how to attract and catch a swarm of bees.

Checking traps and moving a swarm into a hive

Look at your traps about once a week during swarm season. A few bees investigating the entrance are scouts. A steady stream of bees going in and out, some carrying pollen, means a swarm has moved in.

1. Wait a few days after the swarm moves in so the bees settle and start building comb, but move them within a week or two, before comb built on the walls or lid makes transfer messy.
2. Close the entrance at dusk or after dark when the foragers are home. A foam plug or a piece of screen works.
3. Lower the trap carefully and keep it level. Wear a veil; see our bee suit guide.
4. Move it to its new site, ideally that night.
5. Transfer the frames into a hive box next morning, keeping them in the same order, and shake in the remaining bees. If the trap had no frames, cut the comb out and tie it into empty frames with string or rubber bands.
6. Feed and check. Give 1:1 sugar syrup if there is no nectar flow, and look for eggs after a week or two to confirm the queen is laying.

A trap that takes standard deep Langstroth frames, like a 5-frame nuc box, makes step 5 simple. See installing a nucleus colony for the same routine with a nuc. Swarms can carry varroa mites, so plan a mite check within the first month.

Is it legal to put up a swarm trap?

In most places, yes, on your own land. On anyone else’s property you need the owner’s permission, and that includes public land and roadside trees. Some states require you to register colonies once they are in a hive, and a few regions have rules about Africanized bees, so check with your state apiarist or local beekeeping club. Take traps down at the end of the season: an unchecked trap can fill with comb, wax moths or an unmanaged colony.

Catching swarms is one side of the story; stopping your own colonies from swarming is the other. See swarm control and management.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best bait for a swarm trap?

A commercial Nasonov-type swarm lure combined with one old, disease-free brood comb is the combination most trappers rely on. Lemongrass oil is a cheap alternative or top-up. A good box in a good spot matters as much as the bait.

How high should a swarm trap be?

Seeley’s experiments found swarms preferred a 5 m (about 16 ft) site to a 1 m site. In practice most beekeepers hang traps at 3–5 m (10–15 ft), as high as they can safely take down a full, heavy box.

How long does it take for bees to find a swarm trap?

It can be days or it can be never. A trap only works when a swarm is looking for a home nearby, so success depends on how many colonies live around you. Traps hung before the swarm season starts and left up through it have the best chance.

Does lemongrass oil attract bees?

Yes. It contains citral and geraniol, which are also in the Nasonov pheromone that worker bees use to guide others. Use only a few drops inside the trap and refresh it often.

How big should a swarm trap be?

About 40 liters is the size swarms preferred in Seeley’s research, roughly the inside of a 10-frame deep Langstroth box. Five-frame nuc-size traps are lighter to hang and still catch swarms, though a very large swarm may outgrow one quickly.

When should I take a swarm trap down?

Once swarm season is over in your area, usually by midsummer, or sooner if you use old comb that wax moths could take over. Always check a trap before you move it, as a late swarm may have moved in.

Want to know when your own hives are likely to swarm? Read how often bee hives swarm, and see our beehive starter kit guide if you need a hive ready for your first catch.