Hi Guys and Gals; Well I have been working on a trap out for the last several days and it is a huge one!It is the size of a swarm we all dream about.
I put a 10 frame deep in place and then applied the wire cone in place and the bees came out for many days!This is a old colonial home and the bees have been there for about 15 years and the bees must have a huge hive which is in the ceiling between the first floor ceiling and the floor of the second story.
In my trap out box I put a frame in with 3 swarm cells on it and had to leave it there till the queen hatched and mated.Bees were hanging all over the hive and walls of the house.
I removed the first box today and I had put a second box put there thinking they would go into that second box but they didn't go into it until I removed the first box and then they started to march in the box.I will leave that box there until I get a queen cell to put into it.I didn't have a cell for it but will get one next week hopefully!This has been going on for 2 weeks!
I plan on leaving the box of bees there until the new queen is established and laying and then I will remove the cone and allow then to rob out the old hive!We have had a huge honey flow and I bet the ceiling is full of honey and pollen.I am also feeding them 1 to 1 sugar water to encourage them to draw comb!
You are making 2 mistakes. First, you need to put a frame of eggs in there now if you don't have queen cells.
Second, remove the box when full of bees, then let the cells emerge at your apiary. Bees that can't get in the box, or the box doesn't have brood, can get mean. They can start stinging in the neighborhood, and you could be held responsible.
http://www.beemaster.com/forum/index.php?topic=20301.0
Do you have small hive beetles there in TN? I hope not. If they are in there they will slime the hive and there will be honey dripping through the ceiling. Hopefully you can let the bees rob it out before that happens which will be any day now if you have them.
Jim
If you have read all the links and threads that iddee has put up this very subject is covered. About small Hive beetles.
BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)
Hi All: Yes we have the Small hive Beetles! But I always have low count as I employee several methods to keep them away!
I put termite killer in the soil so when they go out they are killed like a termite.Have barrier strips on all my hives,In open sun as well as narrow entrances must of the entrance are 3 to 4 inches long so the guard bees can actually protect the hive from things as a result No hive beetles!
I also use the micro fiber cloth !
I did put in a frame with eggs and will put a queen cell in Thursday!
If you put a frame of eggs and larva in there yesterday, the 29th, you will have capped queen cells in there Thursday, the 5th, without adding any.
Blacksheep,
It ain't your hives you have to worry about getting slimed (well, yes you do) It's more directed at the damage that could occur at the old colonial home. Once that honey gets slimed it'll start running out and seeping through the ceilings and walls.
Thanks GSF, I guess I was not clear on that point.
Jim
How was the original queen removed from the house?
She wasn't i don't believe..very low% of her coming out anyway for a well established colony. Will most likely perish in there as her work force dwindles.
She will quit laying when the "dearth" hits. ""no supplies coming in"" Three weeks after that, all brood will be emerged, supplies will be low, and her workforce nearly totally gone. She will take the few remaining bees and abscond. There is a VERY LOW % chance she will take up with the hive. Most likely, she will fly off with a handful of bees and try to relocate. Than, and only then, the cone can be removed and the house will be robbed until only comb is left.
Quote from: iddee on May 02, 2016, 04:43:42 PM
Most likely, she will fly off with a handful of bees and try to relocate. Than, and only then, the cone can be removed and the house will be robbed until only comb is left.
How do you know that happened so you can take the cone off?
When you see no bee exit the cone for 3 or 4 days, remove the cone and watch the action. If there is a frenzy at the entrance, you are likely OK. If you see pollen going in, she is still there and the cone goes back on.
That is why I like forums. Every once and a while you find someone coming back with a strait answer to a difficult question. Thanks Iddee.
I plan on leaving the cone on for a while to make sure all the brood that hatch are caught and it is rare for the queen to leave as long as some activity going on in the hive.
She will probably die in the hive.I had a swarm trap up close by and thought she might be in it but about 25 bees and that is all in the trap!I am not going to open the last box I placed on the trap out until I am sure they are happy to stay and then I will open it to see about a Queen!
The box is full of bees and I guess 500 still around the cone area.
I have run out of frames and boxes!
Our Club Queen raising program has bee a good project and I have 6 hives from that and already had 4 and still have a trap with swarm in it .Since they are on frames and all I will leave them for a while maybe 30 days and all I will do is pull out the frames and install them in a hive.
This Bee Business is a lot of work!!Ha