Swarm trap products and services purchased or licensed from BeeMaster are 100% environmentally friendly and safe. Our manufacturer custom designs the pulp paper-based swarm traps to our exacting specifications. They are manufactured from recycled newsprint and impregnated with an asphalt-based binder and fungicide to maintain their integrity through the wettest and coldest seasons. Our first traps (now 6 years old) are still in service and catching bees. Other animals will not become trapped inside and die. They do not attract nesting songbirds or other wildlife. A barrier grid across the entrance, and the small entrance hole, make this possible.
The trap design we use has been tested in Arizona since 1990 and has proven to be an uniquely effective method for attracting honey bee swarms (both European and Africanized varieties) as they migrate through an area looking for a new home. Because the BeeMaster traps are baited with a secret pheromone formulation, that mimics the honey bees' own Nasonov pheromone, they catch only honey bees and no other animals. Furthermore, this pheromone is held inside a plastic tube and gradually slow-releases a pleasant lemony scent over a period of many months. These are naturally occuring chemicals found in nature. No harmful synthetic pesticides are used in BeeMaster swarm traps.
Based upon our research, there have been few damage awards where an inidvidual was harmed by honey bee stings and the defendant was someone other than a beekeeper. However, as the incidences of Africanized bee attacks increase, this will likely change. Already, many municipalities are considering banning beekeeping within city limits.
On January 25, 1994 the Risk Management Section of the State of Arizona Department of Administration responded to an inquiry regarding the liability of the State of Arizona to workers in their Africanized Honey Bee (Killer Bees) detection and monitoring program. Their response included the following:
"...with the known risk of an anaphylactic shock reaction our exposure could be quite severe."
After removal of more than 80 swarms of bees in a six month period at SaddleBrooke Country Club, Brent Newcombe, Golf Course Superintendent, has this to say:
"BeeMaster affords tremendous peace of mind. I feel that our members are very safe on our golf course. This includes our maintenance crew as well."
Rodney Maddox, General Manager, Tucson Country Club, stated that:
"Our members feel very satisfied that we did everything possible to make them safe. The concept works very well- I'm very happy with the program and its cost-effectiveness."
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