Bait hive

Hi Steve, I have read over your post several times and I can’t figure out what you’re trying to do. Is this a bait hive for a trapout? Is your bait hive a nuc or a regular hive body? How many frames? What are you using for bait? Where are you located (city)? Please answer those questions and then I can help you.
Ruth

Oh! I didn’t realize you’re trying to catch a swarm. You don’t say where your swarm box is placed, but it should be 10-15 feet in the air for best advantage to scout bees. It will help you to get the box down when it is filled with bees, if you build a handle on to it. Check out this link:
http://www.michiganbees.org/2013/catching-spring-swarms/
The writer is summarizing information from Tom Seely, a Cornell U. professor who studies Swarm Intelligence. It’s also important that the box be about a cubic foot. Here in Southern California with our local bees’ genetics having some Africanization, they don’t seem to care that much about a whole 40 liter sized box which is typically recommended.

Be careful about putting honey in a swarm box. Scout bees aren’t looking for honey, but robber bees will be looking for it and their presence could discourage the desired occupants. The lure smell, the wax and the space itself; those are the things that will attract a swarm. Good luck!