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Looking to catch a swarm and begin your beekeeping journey naturally? Our Layens-style swarm trap is a fully assembled, ready-to-use horizontal hive built to attract and house swarms with ease.
Crafted from lightweight ½" plywood for easier hanging, this trap features six deep Layens frames—pre-wired and ready to accept wax foundation. The durable telescoping lid protects your colony from the elements, while the horizontal design supports natural bee behavior, ideal for treatment-free or cold-climate beekeeping.
Are you interested in beekeeping but don't know where to start? Consider starting with our Layens 7-frame beehives. New to Layens hives? Read why the Layens hive is the best choice for natural beekeepers — and how this design supports healthier, treatment-free colonies.
Layens beehives are a classic horizontal hive design that provides ample space for your bees to thrive, making them ideal for colder climates and natural beekeeping practices. Their unique design allows for easy inspection and honey harvesting, ensuring a rewarding beekeeping experience.
Because Layens beehives expand horizontally, they do not require a super to be stacked on top. This saves you lifting heavy boxes full of honey during the honey harvest.
Our Layens swarm traps are built by hand by Amish craftsmen in rural Kansas.
Featuring:
✅ Includes six pre-wired deep Layens frames—just add foundation
✅ Constructed from ½" plywood for lightweight swarm trapping
✅ Telescoping lid offers full coverage from sun and rain
✅ Great for use as a swarm trap, small starter hive, or small nucleus hive
✅ Ships fully assembled and ready paint and hang
✅ Built in Kansas by Amish craftsmen exclusively for Mad Cat Farm
Please note: This trap is designed to be hung in a tree or structure—hanging hardware not included.
Explore our other natural beekeeping products for a complete setup.
Learn how to use this swarm trap to catch your own free bees! Read our how-to guide here.
**Note: We do not yet sell wax foundation for Layens frames. As an alternative, you can alter Langstroth foundation to fit Layens dimensions by simply cutting it down to size.
Layens Swarm Trap | 6 Pre-wired Frames | Fully Assembled
Q: Does this come fully assembled?
A: Yes! Your Layens swarm trap arrives fully assembled with six pre-wired deep frames—just paint, add your own wax foundation and bait, then it’s ready to hang.Q: Is hanging hardware included?
A: No, hanging hardware is not included. You'll need to supply your own rope, straps, or brackets to mount the trap securely in a tree or other elevated location. Or you could just set it on your deck!Q: Can I use this as a permanent hive?
A: This trap is primarily designed for swarm catching and temporary housing (as a starter or nucleus hive). For long-term use, we recommend our full-size 14-frame Layens hives, which offer thicker walls, ventilation, and expanded space for a growing colony.Q: What kind of bees is this suited for?
A: This trap is ideal for capturing swarms of Apis mellifera (Western honey bees). Layens-style hives are especially favored for treatment-free and cold-climate beekeeping.Q: Do you include foundation or bees?
A: No bees are included. We also do not currently sell Layens-specific foundation, but you can trim standard Langstroth wax foundation to fit these frames.Q: Can I paint or seal the exterior?
A: Yes! We ship the exterior unfinished so you can apply your own natural sealant, paint, or preservative if desired.Q: Why plywood instead of solid wood?
A: The ½" plywood keeps the trap lightweight for safe hanging, while still offering sufficient protection during swarm season. For thicker-walled solid wood hives, see our full Layens hive options.
