Late season removal

Sparky · October 09, 2010, 09:19:59 PM

A question for the removal GODS. I have never done a removal this late in the year and was thinking about just combining with a smaller hive so my question is, Will the bees reattach the cut out comb to the frames this late in the season or will they end up removing the rubber bands and let the comb fall all over the place ?

BrentX · October 09, 2010, 09:43:24 PM

I combined some comb on frames using the rubber band method a couple of weeks ago. The comb is not tightly bound to the frame.

Kathyp · October 09, 2010, 09:45:44 PM

do you have to do it now? you'll lose the queen because you can't combine and keep both queens. the hive won't build much/any new comb at this time of the year so it will be hanging i there to get messed up by spring. the bees will be stressed by the removal and they won't have stores. even if you feed, there isn't time in the north for them to cure the stores.

Sparky · October 09, 2010, 10:39:56 PM

Quote from: kathyp on October 09, 2010, 09:45:44 PM
do you have to do it now? you'll lose the queen because you can't combine and keep both queens. the hive won't build much/any new comb at this time of the year so it will be hanging i there to get messed up by spring. the bees will be stressed by the removal and they won't have stores. even if you feed, there isn't time in the north for them to cure the stores.

To answer your question, yes they have to be removed. They are at a nature center that had to close the deck area of the building down on their tour for liability reasons. The hive that I was thinking about combining them with has a pretty good reserve of stores because of being fed most of the year. The only thing they may need is a pollen patty when it gets colder. I will have to evaluate the performance of the the queen when the area is opened up to decide which queen to keep for the combine. The question was ask because the only other thing that I was equipped to do with them is to put them in a nuc or a couple of mediums and try to save the brood depending on how many are in the soffit removal and remove some of the surplus stores from other hives to finish the season.

Kathyp · October 09, 2010, 11:25:53 PM

if they have to go, it's worth a try. don't feed pollen in the winter. put some dry sugar on for added security if you have any doubts about stores.

JP · October 10, 2010, 12:17:15 AM

Your question was whether they will attach the combs to the frames. Bees do that usually overnight. I don't know what your temps are, but if its still in the 50's or 60's or even warmer during the hottest part of the day, they will get it done.

...JP

Sparky · October 10, 2010, 08:48:19 PM

Quote from: JP on October 10, 2010, 12:17:15 AM
Your question was whether they will attach the combs to the frames. Bees do that usually overnight. I don't know what your temps are, but if its still in the 50's or 60's or even warmer during the hottest part of the day, they will get it done.

...JP

That is what I had hoped someone would say. I did not know for sure because as indicated above, I have never had a call this late in the season, in our area to remove them. As for Kathy's comment about not giving them pollen is of concern. Our season was a major drought and the bees had very little pollen when doing last inspection. We did get some good rain a couple weeks ago and brought out pretty good golden rod blooms so I am hoping that the cut out will have enough of their own because my other hives will all need what they have to winter. The temps in the day time are still reaching about 70.

Tommyt · October 10, 2010, 10:11:58 PM

Quote from: JP on October 10, 2010, 12:17:15 AM
Your question was whether they will attach the combs to the frames. Bees do that usually overnight. I don't know what your temps are, but if its still in the 50's or 60's or even warmer during the hottest part of the day, they will get it done.
...JP

Well I guess, I got the Short Bus Bees :roll:
I put it a piece of comb in the Nuc I stole the Brood comb out of a nuc for the Trap out I'm doing
I had a frame in there for a week or so and they did nothing to it so added the comb to get them
moving
I checked a few days later and they were putting honey in I thought that was fast
but it but was still sitting in the corner held by
the rubber bands

JP · October 11, 2010, 06:35:51 AM

If its warm enough and there's a good population of bees they will attach the combs to the top/bottom bar. As for building new comb, need lots of bees, warm enough weather, feed and a reason for them to build.

Kathy mentioned not giving pollen late as when they go into winter mode the pollen will just be attractive to shb if they're not producing any brood.

...JP

Sparky · October 17, 2010, 09:50:46 PM

Well the removal went pretty good. It was a good thing that they were removed because they would have died over the winter with the lack of brood. They were making some nice stores but only one comb had any spotty brood and no eggs or larva. I had to combine the bees with another hive and dought if there even was a queen by the looks of things.

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Tommyt · October 17, 2010, 10:02:13 PM

Nice Pictures
Good luck with the hive
Hope it turns out Well

Tom

JP · October 17, 2010, 10:36:48 PM

Great job and great pictures!

...JP

AllenF · October 18, 2010, 09:45:12 AM

Great pics.

hardwood · October 18, 2010, 12:15:31 PM

Sweet!

Scott