I'm a 2nd yr beek with no experiance with either. Ferral colony hived in old portable concrete mixer frame.
Huge cavity where they are, gotta be lots of bees in there. And they have been there at least 3 yrs.
The entrance is only about 3' off the ground and far as I can tell, it is the only one.
From reading here I've found that trap outs are real time consuming. But not sure about capturing. I live 14 miles away and was wondering how often you need to check swarm traps? I'm leaning towards capture cause I could do it over and over, as long as the original bees are there. Is that correct?
Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks to everyone.
is it in the mixer section its self?? if you can remove the hive remove it, cut a hole or what ever, I dont care for the trapping out think, to much time and you still have to add a frame of eggs or a queen, why bother if you cant get the original queen from the hive. if they have a hive there they have enough space for you to gt into to remove, thats just my opinion!!!
Leaving a hive alone and capturing swarms is always best when it is feasible. Colonies should only be removed when they are causing a problem.
A cut out is next best. A trap out should only be used when all other options are ruled out.
Ditto to what Iddee stated.
I have a couple of known colonies that are in a monitor only state. I have had good luck with setting up swarm traps in the vicinity.
rob...
I'm gonna throw my two cents in here about leaving them alone unless they are causing a problem. No offense to what you said Iddee, and I really truly like the idea of leaving them there until proven guilty, but I have dealt with many situations now where people had colonies living in their walls or ceiling, etc... where at some point they did cause a problem.
My take is, if they are in a remote area, if you need them, remove them, better yet, set up swarm traps and catch multiples year after year. How sweet is that?
If they are living inside a wall void, ceiling, soffit etc.. of an occupied building, they need to be removed sooner than later.
Here is one example, but I have many I could bore you all with. I removed two colonies from a house trailer down in Lafitte, Louisiana about 3-4 yrs ago.
The couple who lived in the trailer bought the trailer 6 yrs prior with the bees in it already. They lived in the trailer with the bees living in their wall and one under the toilet for 6 yrs.
The last 6 months of that time frame the bees in the wall became quite unruly. They were in fact some of the meanest bees I have ever come across.
My nephew helped me on that job, his last. The bees would follow us in my truck 2 city blocks before we could take our veils off for a quick break.
I took 21 stings that day, my nephew about 15 or so, one near his eye. He hasn't been the same around bees since. The wuss factor took hold of him that day when it comes to bees. :-D
Anyway, you get my point.
...JP
TwT rites: "cut a hole or what ever"
I thought about that when I first found them. The only way would be with a cutting torch, doesn't seem like a good ideal.
Iddee: I read your thread on a "trap out in progress". That was great and very informative, thanks a bunch.
JP rites: "how sweet is that"? exactly what I was thinking. :-D
Ok now I need more advice.
Location of hive is on an reclaimed strip mine of about 100 acres that my company bought and using for equipment yard, totally fenced in. Pretty remote area. And I have a key to the gate.
My thoughts on trapping are as follows:
Instead of using conventional swarm traps, I was thinking about just setting up 10 frame deep hive body complete with stand, bb, both covers and wax coated plastic foundation, baited with lemmongrass oil. No worries about vandalism, my shop foreman would moniter activity for me. I know this would be a poke and hope method, but isn't that what it's all about?
Input from any and all greatly appreciated!! Thanks again to all you folks are wonderful.
Sounds like a good idea. I would use 1 or 2 frames of old drawn comb if possible.
JP, only 21 stings???? They must have been little angels. Anything less than 50 stings, I consider gentle bees. When it tops 100, then i call them unruly. :-*
OH! I forgot. You dress up like an astronaut, don't you? :shock: :-D