Hive Dipper,
Thank for the response!
I put out one swarm trap last spring and believe a swarm landed in it for a few days before moving on to a different location. In that trap was 4 frames of foundation and a q-tip with lemongrass oil on it. My swarm traps have an internal volume of approximately 50 liters...I think you meant 40 liters and NOT gallons in your post.
This year I have plenty of drawn comb (2 dead hives worth) and more knowledge. I am going to put at the locations of my dead hives a bottom board with entrance reducer, deep hive body, 3 frames of drawn comb, 3 foundationless frames with wood starter strips (more on these later), inner cover and telescoping cover with lemongrass oil on a q-tip. All of this equipment will be used equipment from last year and will smell like "bees"
My trap from last year is going in the same place about 6' off the ground. It is a deep hive body with a "swarm trap adapter" on the bottom...essentially a 1.75" tall hive body with a 1" hole in the front and 1/2" hardware cloth on the inside keeping the birds out...I'll post a photo when I figure it out. It too will have 3 frames of drawn comb, 3 foundationless frames with wood starter strips, a plywood cover, and lemongrass oil on a q-tip.
I'm going to put together a few more of the Deep hive body with swarm trap adapters and set them a few places. I have a friend that lives 1/4 mile from an orchard and will try to get him to let me set one at his house.
The "foundationless frames with wood starter strips" is something I came up with after hearing more about topbar hives. In reality, these are just a 19" long top bar with groove cut in them for a wood starter strip. If honeybees take up residence in one of my swarm traps, I want to try to guide them into where to build comb. If they don't, I'm only out some scrap wood I had laying around anyway. the starter strip is held in place with a couple of staples, so if I get comb, I can just pull the staples, remove the comb with the wood strip attached, insert the wood strip into a grooved top frame, staple it in placeand rubberband it like doing a cut-out...it seems like it might work...I guess i'll find out.