Preferred Nest Sites
When a bee swarm looks for a new home, it tries to fulfill the following requirements as much as possible. The more requirements that match, the more attractive the location is as a home.
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40-liter volume (Africanized bees probably accept much smaller)
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~15-foot height
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At least 100 meters from parent hive
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1.5-2 square inch entrance
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Entrance located near the bottom of the cavity
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Well-shaded/cooled
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Presence of previously drawn wax/honeybee hive
A well designed swarm trap fits all of the above requirements.