It's in a tree. I have a tree stand for the bait hive but the closest I could get it is about 3.5 feet away on another trunk. This is 25 feet in the air. I'm worried about the proximity or lack thereof, although the bait hive and exit are at the same height. From all the posts I searched, particularly those of Iddee, keeping the cone very close to the hive seems mandatory.
Tall ladder, scrap 1x2, cordless screw gun...priceless!
Can you get to it and attach the bait hive right to the tree?
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Scott
I have never seen them 3 and a half feet away. I like less that 12 inches from the hive hole to the new bait hive. Try to rework it closer. And remember, that bait hive will be very heavy in 6 weeks.
Cool pic hardwood. My stand is like a deer hunting hang-on tree stand, very solid, but a pain to lug around at those heights. It took some effort to hang it. I guess I'll have to re-asses and see if I can move it closer. I hoped that with a lure and eggs+brood they would find it at that distance. Appreciate the advice thanks.
I'm not saying they won't find and use it...I've just never tried it with the bait hive that far away. I do prefer to hedge my bets a little :)
Scott
Here's where I'm at. I didn't get the hive moved. If bees don't go for the bait hive by today I will move it closer. They started checking it out right away. This trap-out stuff is hard work, but very exciting!
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Can you tell us what the bees are doing now? Are they going into the new hive on the other trunk or collecting up below the funnel? I am just wondering if they can find the new hive.
Iddee is "the MAN" when it comes to trap outs and I hope he'll chime in for you. I always make sure that the entrance to the bait hive is as close to the base of the cone as possible and touching the tree (or structure) so the bees can simply walk into the hive.
Scott
I have never seen the trap box placed that far away, except one that was on the ground 8 feet under the cone. They built comb on the cone of that one. I'm following the thread to see what happens. If it were mine, I would strap the stand to the tree just under the hive, so the smell of the brood would rise to the cone.
See? I told you he was "the MAN"!
Scott
Open the top of your box and put as many of those hangers in as you can. Many will start to fan the smell of the new hive to the others and they will start making their way in. I have done around 12 trap outs in the last 2 years (not as many as others I know) and I have found it better not to put the box up the same day as the cone. I wait a day, put in fresh eggs, brood....open the top and drop in a large number of bees hanging from the cone...close up and put in its permanent place. I have used many coneouts to produce new queens, so I make sure I put in the eggs that I really want a queen from. But anyhow, get those hanging bees in there if you can. Also, I am using some of those big metal shelf brackets, the L-shaped ones, to screw into the house or tree. They can hold a lot of weight. I'll take pics of the current one on monday. My new queen should be hatching out Tuesday.
They didn't take on the first day. I saw a few bees enter and leave the bait hive. Inspired by hardwood I have a new hive platform and I'm going to screw it too the tree as close as I can get it to the cone. I was nervous before to do too much at those heights, the ladder position was not ideal with some sway, but I dug out my old climbing harness and I'm going to clip myself into the tree so I can drill safely. I probably need new brood now too. The original frame is likely dead with the nightime chill and no nurses.
Arm thanks for chiming in I think you have a good idea collecting the hangers.
I'll post a report after.
I went back today, day 2, all set to move the hive but there were lots bees already in it, fanning and guarding, doing orientation flights around the entrance.. I put the new brood frame in anyway. I'm very pleased with this outcome :)
That's great! I'm sure we're all getting an education from your trials...thanx.
Scott
That's great some bees are finding it on their own.
Unfortunately I lost ground. The bees now have another entrance to the nest in the rotten tree that wasn't there before. I'm pretty sure they chewed it. Argh.
I found these brackets to use on my trapouts. They fit my med. boxes great and I do not have to use stilts anymore. I can screw to wood or masonary. Notice my hole is not that close to the coneout, but I waited a day, brought brood, honey, etc and dropped in two handfuls of hangers off the cone. After the 2nd day I do not have anymore hangers or bees trying to find a way back in the house, cause so many bees are at the hole of the box. I run a thin wire from the box bottom over the top and attach to screws in the wall for safety.
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