New Hive on Top of a Yellow Jacket Nest---Should I Move the Bees?

TwoHoneys · September 10, 2010, 05:21:29 PM

I have a new colony that I collected from a bee tree a couple of weeks ago. I've just discovered, though, that there's a yellow jacket nest beneath the cinder blocks on which I placed the new hive...when I fed the bees this afternoon, those danged yellow jackets came out in droves and marched right into the hive, so I reduced the entrance.

Because the bee colony is new and hasn't yet built strength after its traumatic removal from the bee tree, I wonder if I should move it away from the yellow jacket nest. If so, should I do it at night? Or should I let them work this out for themselves?

Liz

annette · September 10, 2010, 06:55:57 PM

Oh Gosh Liz!!

I would move that hive so fast, especially since they aren't strong enough to keep those killers out. Move that hive at night.

bulldog · September 10, 2010, 08:12:12 PM

i"d wait until nighttime and burn them with a torch, but then i have a personal vendetta against yellowjackets.

hardwood · September 10, 2010, 08:43:51 PM

Wait 'til night and pour about 1/2 cup of gas on them and just let it work...don't light it. If you're not wanting to use gas (and I wouldn't blame you) use 5 or more gal of boiling water. The gas fumes gets them every time...the water knock their numbers down but often misses the queen.

Scott

JP · September 10, 2010, 10:48:30 PM

I have come to find that honey bees are not the only stingy thingies that don't like beequick. Suit up and spray the yellow jackets with bee quick, then remove the nest.

...JP

TwoHoneys · September 10, 2010, 10:56:12 PM

You know, Annette, for some reason your "Oh Gosh Liz!!" made me feel better. Thanks!

JP...I don't have any Beequick...I guess I could get some somewhere, but it feels to me as if I have to do something fast.

Hey, Scott...the YJ nest is immediately below the new bee colony. Wouldn't the gas fumes also "get" the bees?

I guess I could close the bees up for the night and try the gas thing...or I could give the bees a top entrance for a while, instead...yeah, that might work, huh?

JP · September 10, 2010, 11:02:39 PM

Liz, ignore Scott, the gas fumes would not be a good idea so close to your hive. Hee hee Scott ( :-D) got to bust your bones dude. I know you were probably tired and didn't notice what Liz said when you read her post. ;)

Liz, you could also spray the yellow jackets with soapy water at night, suited up and achieve the same affect. Douse them good though, lots of bubbles. will suffocate them.

...JP

TwoHoneys · September 10, 2010, 11:06:35 PM

Thanks, JP! Here I go out into the dark with a big pail of hot, soapy water.

JP · September 10, 2010, 11:10:17 PM

Liz, do you have a spray bottle you could spray them with? Good luck!

...JP

greenbtree · September 11, 2010, 06:09:23 PM

Liz, move them TONIGHT! Don't delay. I had a good hive abscond due to little ants in the hive lid. I saw the ants (they were between the tin and the wood) and made a new lid. Took about four days, when I went back to replace the ant infested one they were GONE! I have two deeps with really nice comb...

JC

TwoHoneys · September 11, 2010, 11:03:05 PM

UPDATE:

I found no evidence of a YJ nest. I thought they were coming up from the ground beneath the cinder blocks on which I'd placed my hive because there were so many of them on the cinder block when I fed the bees yesterday.

Last night I drowned the area with hot, soapy water...but by late morning today the YJs were there again. I moved the entire hive away to investigate but found no nest.

Here's what I think happened: The YJs appeared while I was feeding the bees sugar water yesterday. I discovered that one jar of sugar water had leaked onto the bottom board and out the entrance and onto the cinder block (which jutted out beyond the lip of the bottom board). The block is so porous that it completely absorbed the sugar water, and I think the YJs were just sucking the dickens out of the block.

I replaced the cinder block with a clean one (and I made sure I tucked it under the hive rather than allowing it to stick out), but I was gone all day and haven't monitored the YJs since this morning.

I hate sugar water. I may switch to straight sugar.

P.S. While I was moving the hive around, I dumped a hive box completely over and lots of bee-loaded frames fell out onto the ground. It's been an all-around clumsy, sucky beekeeper kind of day.

Liz

hardwood · September 11, 2010, 11:13:05 PM

But JP...the evidence is in...yellow jacket suck block!

My hives are all 16" or better from the ground, I'd have no problem gassin' those things!

Scott

saritacoleman · September 12, 2010, 12:13:36 AM

I've been off the board these days. My mac broke and was in for repairs.

When we started our first hive this spring I noticed some wasps building nests and told D.H. about it.
Nothing was done because the nest was small and well...nothing was done.
My feeling was and still is...if I wanted a woman to kill a wasp's nest for me I would have married one.

Well...D.H. was gone on a C.P.E. and all I did was go and turn the faucet on and holy $#!+...those little buggers turned on me. At first I thought it was one of our bees because I heard buzzing. They were in my hair..butting me. I stepped back and looked up and there had to have been at least 30 wasps...buzzing around my head.

So..I figured..these are not my bees and we can not live together.

I geared up killed them with wasp/hornet killer.

Husband knocked down and stepped on the nest for good measure.

I just love the advice on the can. "Spray up to 20 feet and the LEAVE the area very quickly."

Ya Think?

Hope all is well with every one.

Best,
Sarita

annette · September 13, 2010, 02:40:33 AM

Quote from: TwoHoneys on September 11, 2010, 11:03:05 PM
UPDATE:

I found no evidence of a YJ nest. I thought they were coming up from the ground beneath the cinder blocks on which I'd placed my hive because there were so many of them on the cinder block when I fed the bees yesterday.

Last night I drowned the area with hot, soapy water...but by late morning today the YJs were there again. I moved the entire hive away to investigate but found no nest.

Here's what I think happened: The YJs appeared while I was feeding the bees sugar water yesterday. I discovered that one jar of sugar water had leaked onto the bottom board and out the entrance and onto the cinder block (which jutted out beyond the lip of the bottom board). The block is so porous that it completely absorbed the sugar water, and I think the YJs were just sucking the dickens out of the block.

I replaced the cinder block with a clean one (and I made sure I tucked it under the hive rather than allowing it to stick out), but I was gone all day and haven't monitored the YJs since this morning.

I hate sugar water. I may switch to straight sugar.

P.S. While I was moving the hive around, I dumped a hive box completely over and lots of bee-loaded frames fell out onto the ground. It's been an all-around clumsy, sucky beekeeper kind of day.

Liz

Liz

At least you discovered what the cause was. Sounds awful about dropping the super with frames. Yiks!! OH well some days are just like that. Better times ahead now.

melliferal · September 14, 2010, 11:31:31 AM

Quote from: bulldog on September 10, 2010, 08:12:12 PM
i"d wait until nighttime and burn them with a torch, but then i have a personal vendetta against yellowjackets.

Man, don't even get me started.

With all this ruckus we're raising to get the Beekeeping merit badge restored, do you think we could find support for a Yellow-Jacket Destroying merit badge? I'd totally mentor for that.

L Daxon · September 14, 2010, 12:15:17 PM

TwoHoneys, I dropped/knocked over a deep full of bees one time, and though I had on a veil and gloves, my upper arms were bare. I froze like a Greek statue while the bees buzzed me furiously for several minutes and I waited for them to calm down. Never did get stung. Either they didn't recognize bare skin when they saw it or the fact that I was motionless threw them off. But that was the longest couple of minutes of my life.