These are interesting photographs. Thanks for sharing them. I had a similar experience this year, which was the first time I used swarm traps. The traps generally worked as expected, but there were two swarms that settled on the outside, rather than within, the traps. These were in my most distant locations, and by the time I got to them they had built several combs hanging on the bottom of the traps. Both honey and brood were already present - so my lesson was to tend swarm traps more diligently! Ted Fischer Dexter, Michigan USA