Trap out in progress

JP · May 08, 2009, 08:15:13 PM

Quote from: wxton on May 08, 2009, 03:21:29 PM
Thanks for the info. I have a hive in a hollowed out hole in a pecan tree about 15' up. they have been there about 3 years living on there own. Must be pretty good genetics. I am gonna try and get them. i am gonna have to build a plat for up the tree sortof like a deerstand to hold the box but other than that...should go pretty easily. Thanks again.

Wxton, the thing is, with trap outs, you are not saving the genetics of the particular hive you are trapping out unless you are able to get that colony's queen to exit and join the catch box.

This can be done on newly established colonies sometimes, but the odds of getting an established colony's queen to exit and enter your catch box are slim to none.

What Iddee has done with this trap out and others was to use the bees in the void space being trapped to create a queen from genetics belonging to one of his own hives.

Go back and read the post from the beginning and you'll see what I mean.

If you have a colony you want to make queens from, than you could use the hive in the pecan tree to do so.

Just wanted to clarify things for you.

...JP

Robo · May 08, 2009, 09:58:17 PM

JP makes an excellent point. I overlooked your statement about genetics. If it is the genetics you are after, I would leave them be and set up a few swarm traps to catch a swarm from it. Then you will have retained the genetics.

Actually, if the bees are not bothering anyone I would suggest leaving them be anyway. I only recommend removing a colony if they are a nuisance or too close to people. Let ferals be if you can.

iddee · May 08, 2009, 10:04:30 PM

Leave them in place and post them here.

http://www.savethehives.com/

As said above, trapouts don't yield queens. They have to make their own from eggs provided.

wxton · May 11, 2009, 01:48:27 PM

I will leave them there. I will try my luck with some swarm traps as suggested. I also registered the feral hive. And I understand about the genetics. I should have been able to put two and too together but sometimes it takes someone else to point it out to you. Thanks.

iddee · May 16, 2009, 01:09:08 PM

We checked the trap Thurs. and found bad news. They were entering and leaving the house, and carrying in pollen. It signaled that we had removed the cone too soon. We went back Fri. and replaced the cone. It is too soon for the new queen in the box to be laying, and I have never been very successful at finding a virgin queen, so we went back today and added another frame of eggs and larva. "Just in case". If she is there, the new frame will just boost the colony. If she isn't, it will give them another chance to raise one.

iddee · May 22, 2009, 04:51:51 PM

Today's check.....

6 frames of bees, up from 4.
10 or more queen cells. It seems the first ones didn't take.
No bees in the cone nor trying to enter the house. Looks to be over, but we left the cone anyway. Don't want to make the same mistake again. Am thinking we may take the box down and place a different hive there to rob out the house. Will let things stay as are for a few more days, then decide the next step.

G3farms · May 22, 2009, 08:40:46 PM

iddee, I have a couple of questions..............

So after you trap all of the bees out, what happens to the queen?

I know the brood and eggs would die since there are no bees to cover them, right?

How did you learn about trap outs??

This is a great thread, and thank you for posting it and the pics.

G3

iddee · May 22, 2009, 08:55:52 PM

G3, read here...

http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php/topic,20131.msg153535.html#msg153535

I learned just like you are now. Asking questions on bee forums. I listened to the ones that failed as much as the ones that succeeded. I then set them up for 4 or 5 years, studying as I went along.

iddee · June 15, 2009, 02:13:33 PM

Final post.....

Removed the stand and hive today and sealed the house with silicone caulk. Hasn't been a bee entered the house for several days now, so all honey has been removed.
Total time.... 3 Months

Final tally.....

7 frames of bees and a queen raised from my favorite hive.
Boosted a hive with queen from 1 frame of bees to 8 frames of bees.
10 frame medium hive with 7 frames of bees raised a queen from my favorite hive and she is now laying.
One well made trap stand, made from square tubing and diamond spaced steel platform, adjustable height.
$250.00

It has been a lot of fun and I hope it helps others doing trapouts

hoku · June 15, 2009, 03:56:57 PM

Your postings have help me so much!! Thank you for the details and the pics and time spent.

Cindi · June 16, 2009, 01:14:24 PM

Oh Iddee, well, well, well. Three months, that has been a long time, you must have patience as high as my lucky stars. Takin' my hat off to you. And look how your posts have undoubtedly helped others in the trapping out process, again, a second hat off to you. Thank you for taking this time to explain, and explain and explain. Be proud of what you have done, your help to others. AND....have that most wonderful, beautiful day, lovin' our great life, and groovin'. Health. Cindi

Nathen · June 25, 2009, 10:06:36 PM

Quote from: jimmy on March 29, 2009, 08:05:34 PM
Question please, I can understand the trap from a fish angle however , the bees will not go back inside the small hole of screen, because?

I have always been told there are no stupid questions, althought I sort fo feel silly asking this one. Thanks

I've been wondering the same thing for a while as well, so we're both silly. (Man, are you in poor company!) I know iddee stressed in his trapout procedure that it is very important to seal all possible alternate entrances the first time around because once they find an alternate entrance, they become that much more determined to find other alternate entrances if you seal up the one they found. In the pictures here, I see them sealing up possible entrances five or six feet away from the trap hive. The hole at the end of the cone seems like such an obvious alternate entrance to me. I don't see why they wouldn't find it. Unless it's a light and scent issue as iddee suggested. As sensitive as bees are to scents, I wouldn't be surprised if they used it to home in on the entrance to their hive. Still, you would think some bees would find their way back in just by blind luck. It's not like it's such a long shot.

iddee · June 25, 2009, 11:21:06 PM

Have you ever used a robber screen? Six inches and the robbers can't find the entrance even tho it's all the way across the hive front.

They cannot see the cone as a solid object, so the entrance looks just like more wire mesh. They cannot distinguish between the holes in the wire and the cone entrance.

I imagine the smell also plays a part in it, along with the fact that they are oriented to the base of the cone.