Remember the bee tree rescue?

[tillie]

I kept checking on the bee tree that I helped rescue in August last year.  I fed it mightily going into winter (and they added a second bee tree).  I put hive boxes on top of both bee trees.  At the end of winter on a warmish day on 2/20 (right - we then had one more solid month of it in Atlanta), I went over to check on these trees.  The big bee tree (the first one) was full of dead bees at the entrance and I could see and took pictures of shards of comb lying in the entry as well. 

The second bee tree was alive and flying.

Last week I decided I needed my equipment and drove over to take the hive boxes off of the top of the big (now dead) bee tree.  When I arrived it was full and active.  Bees everywhere.  I was shocked.  The people in the tree place told me that a swarm moved into the tree on Wednesday before I arrived on Thursday.

So my question is:  what do I do?  I know we aren't supposed to keep bees in a tree.  This isn't the colony that started the winter there so they have not had the opportunity to move up into the box.  They just moved in - I can't see opening up the tree section.

HELP!

Linda T in Atlanta

[iddee]

A perfect setup for a trapout. It should only take a few days.

[tillie]

I understand, I think, how to do a trap out. 

I'll first need to close the top of the tree section where currently there's a hole to encourage the bees to move up.

Then I'll fashion screen wire around the current entrance to the hive such that it forms a cone and the entry to the cone would only allow a bee or two to leave at a time.  For some reason (the edges of the cone??) the bees don't return to the hive.

I'll set up a hive box at the level of the entrance complete with old comb, maybe a frame of brood, lure, etc.

What would make the queen leave the hive?

Linda T

[iddee]

My cones look like this, but any variation will do.

http://www.beekeepingforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=1485

She will leave because there is no food coming in. She may go in the box or leave for a nearby tree. Tell the nursery people to watch for a swarm, once the trap is set.

[ziffabeek]

Good Luck Tillie!  If you're doing it this weekend and need dumb labor help, I live in the city and would be happy to! 

love,
ziffa

[AllenF]

Drum them up to the top and into your box. Then trap them.