Questions re: transplanting bees

moldy · April 06, 2012, 11:26:49 PM

My situation is this - I am a complete novice. We have 2 separate hives, both in the walls of buildings that we don't want destroyed. One of the hives has been there for about 15 years; the other I think is from a swarm from the original hive last year. I would like to move the bees into a top-bar hive.

I have been reading 'practical beekeeping' by M. Bush and he talks about transplanting bees from one hive to another. Would this work in my situation? I could put the topbar next to the entrance, removing the vent to allow the bees to exit the hive. Once the TB hive is full of bees (I realize this could take quite a while), I could move it and possibly board up the entrance to the old hive.

So .... opinions on if this could work, please. Should I use the older larger hive or the newer smaller one? will this even have a minute chance of working??

oblib · April 07, 2012, 12:29:42 AM

If you can seal off all the entrances to the building but one then you can do a trapout.

BlueBee · April 07, 2012, 01:00:05 AM

I agree with oblib, it sounds like what you really want to do is a "trapout". User iddee is a guru on them. Do a search for trapout to collect ideas. The downside of the trapout is the feral queen usually gets away, but user robbinhood recently posted a thread on how to improve your odds of getting the feral queen too. Good luck.

iddee · April 07, 2012, 09:18:16 AM

http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php/topic,20301.0.html

moldy · April 07, 2012, 06:43:25 PM

Thanks so much. Our bees are very calm and gentle, and obviously have adapted well. I really don't want to start with new bees if I can avoid it.

moldy · April 07, 2012, 11:56:31 PM

That video is great! I do have a question though. How do I get a box of eggs?? (Sorry if my question makes me look dumber than a box of rocks!)

CapnChkn · April 09, 2012, 12:50:49 AM

But seriously folks, take my wife... PLEASE!

Actually you don't need eggs, you need open and sealed brood to attract and hold the bees to the frames inside. If you're serious, you will need to do a lot of reading here. I tried, and failed miserably, to do a trap-out in 1982. Find a beekeeper in your area, go to the local bee meetings, and read, read, read.

If it were me, I would get a hive running first so I would have a supply of brood to fuss with. But since you're beginning, I would see if you can find someone to Mentor you. Get thee to a bee keeping association!

beyondthesidewalks · April 09, 2012, 11:52:01 AM

Actually you need a hive with a queen for the trapped out bees or a frame of eggs in the trap hive so the trapped out bees can raise a new queen. In order to raise a new queen the bees must have eggs not brood.

I like to use small swarms that I've hived as a the trap hive. It gives them a real shot in the arm and gets them going good and strong.

CapnChkn · April 10, 2012, 05:03:22 PM

BTW, I agree...

If they're going to raise a new queen. But just to keep the bees there and calm, brood is the thing. Like I say, I haven't done any good ever, and tried to do it without anything but skills and a silly grin 30 years ago, but I would think the bees exiting with QMP would keep them from going nuts until complete separation. AND, I didn't fool around with bees between then and now so I might just be speculating.

I'll have to study up on it again. I was trying to get some out of a rotten hive 3 years ago when they left for me. Right now I'm researching Queen rearing...