Swarm questions

[pokeyjeeper]

Ok at what time of year do bees start swarming and where is the best place to put swarm traps out i.e. Fence lines,corner of wood lots alongside a drainage ditch I'm going to make 3 swarm traps to put out I just don't know where to put them and when to put them out thank you for any information you beeks can give me

[bk]

First of all, keep us posted on the process.  Free bees are great, and the earlier you can catch them in the year the better.  You need to get them hived and built up before winter.
Swarm traps work when there are hives in the area, yours, other beeks, or feral bees.  Be sure they are in place a bit before hives in your area really start to build up their spring numbers.  Just guessing that will be earlier this year with the weather we have been having.
Placed 10 to 15 feet above ground and facing towards the south seems a common rule of thumb.  Some swarm catchers look for a land mark the bees can focus on - tall, lone tree for example. A friend puts his about five feet above the ground along a fence row / field road between his hives and the neighbors hives a half mile away.  He connects a couple times a year.
Bait with old comb and lemon grass oil.  Don't over use the oil - a little on a q-tip ever couple weeks.  Rub on entrance and put between frames. 
Plenty of plans on the net.  Entrance should be about two square inches.  Ideal size is about the size of a deep box.  I build mine from CDX 1/2" plywood, about 19 x 19 x 10.  Place mine on a big old oak tree about 100 yards from my bee yard.

[pokeyjeeper]

Thanks bk just the kind of information I was looking for any swarms I catch will be wild ones as there are no bee keepers around me going with a top bar hive if I catch a swarm so my traps will be top bar style also I'll post pictures of the traps and where they are set after I get them built