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Surprise in the Box
- matthew jackson
- Jul 14
- 2 min read
Finding a Swarm in a Forgotten Nuc
Sometimes, beekeeping offers unexpected rewards. Recently, one of our beekeepers at Waterford Bee Company was doing a little spring cleanup when they stumbled upon a nuc box tucked away along the edge of a tree line—an old swarm trap they had set out early in the season and completely forgotten about.
To their surprise, when the lid was lifted, it wasn’t just an empty box. A bustling, healthy honey bee swarm had taken up residence and was thriving, completely on their own.
What Is a Swarm Trap?
For those newer to beekeeping, a swarm trap is typically a small hive setup (often a 5-frame nuc box) placed strategically to attract swarming honey bees. These boxes are usually baited with drawn comb or a few drops of lemongrass oil and placed in shaded, elevated locations near good forage. Then, you wait.
Sometimes they get lucky. Sometimes they don’t. And in this case, one was so well placed it was forgotten—until it worked.
The Beauty of a Natural Swarm Catch
There’s something truly special about opening a trap and discovering that a wild swarm has chosen it as their new home. No intervention, no moving frames—just nature at work. Inside this forgotten box was a thriving queenright colony, calmly drawing comb, raising brood, and storing nectar.
Moments like these remind us why we love beekeeping. Honey bees are remarkably resourceful and instinct-driven. When given the chance, they’ll find the perfect home and make the most of it—even if it’s a box left behind.
What We Did Next
After a full inspection confirmed the colony was healthy and productive, we relocated the nuc to our main apiary where it could continue to grow with more space and support. With early summer forage available and solid brood patterns in place, this accidental swarm catch is on track to become one of our strongest hives of the season.
Lessons from the Field
Swarm traps work—even when you forget about them.
Bees are highly intuitive and can thrive if given the right environment.
In Wisconsin and the Midwest, late spring through early summer is peak swarm season.
Check your equipment regularly. You never know what’s moved in.
If you're just getting started with beekeeping or curious about setting out your own swarm traps, let this be encouragement. Sometimes, the bees find you.
Interested in learning more about swarm management or starting your first hives? We offer classes, resources, and plenty of real-world stories to help you along the way.