so I’m about set out my box and try to catch a swarm, but also, just general question about connecting.
I see that many people use the ratchet straps to go all the way around the box, but what about just anchoring the brood box to the base? I imagine w/ the strap off and roof off while inspecting, it may easily separate?
That won’t be a problem. The brood boxes own weight will keep it in place and the bees will do their ‘liquid nails’ trick as well. Even after a month or two you will find that if you lift the brood box the hive base will usually come up with it. But if in doubt you can fit the spring wire clips on each side that are made for the job and most bee shops stock them. Hope that helps.
Regards
For putting out a swarm trap though, you might consider running a couple screws up through the base and into the box.
Not all swarm trap locations are as stable as sitting on top of a couple cinder blocks, so you might have some lateral movement between the parts if you don’t tack them together.
I use 5 frame Coates nucs for traps, so the only “movable parts” are the disc entrance, and the migratory top. By throwing a strap around the nuc’s “waist” I hold it tight against the top, and the cleats keep them from moving fore and aft.
I’ve considered using “double deep” nucs as well, and placing some sort of cleat on the 4 sides, to somewhat stabilize the joint between the boxes. Others accomplish this by building them double deep from the start, and only having frames in the top.
Hi Adam, I talked a bloke into doing that very same thing with his fake flow. He drilled a screw head clearance hole most of the way down on two sides at the front. He put a screw in both of those as well as a screw in the middle at the back.
It’s much easier when the bottom board is attached to the brood box.
Then we put it on stilts for a trap-out lure box, anyway that’s another story.
