Welcome, Guest

Author Topic: Need to get a swarm out of a camper  (Read 5461 times)

Offline Beewildered61

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 122
  • Gender: Male
Need to get a swarm out of a camper
« on: May 14, 2016, 08:49:52 am »
 Wonder if anyone might have any advice... lady called me yesterday and she has a swarm that has taken up in a compartment of her camper. It is where the electric line and water go into the camper. She thinks they might have shown up Thursday. I won't be able to go see about them until tomorrow (Sunday). I don't have a bee vac, what can I possibly do to get them out? Only thing I could think of was to smoke them, spray them with sugar water, take out any comb they might have started, hopefully getting the queen, maybe try to brush them out with a bee brush into a tub?

Offline Acebird

  • Galactic Bee
  • ******
  • Posts: 8110
  • Gender: Male
  • Just do it
Re: Need to get a swarm out of a camper
« Reply #1 on: May 14, 2016, 09:45:15 am »
I suppose she could drive the camper more than 5 miles away every two days until they abscond or parish.
Brian Cardinal
Just do it

Offline rwlaw

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 318
  • Gender: Male
Re: Need to get a swarm out of a camper
« Reply #2 on: May 14, 2016, 09:47:47 am »
Try to brush bees into something and all your going to get is some P/O'd bees. Make some phone calls and see if you can find a vac. or make your own. Google robo style bee vac. G3farms has a good setup on utube and it gets them into a hive box to boot. If your going to take swarm calls its worth making one up.
Can't ever say that bk'n ain't a learning experience!

Offline Beewildered61

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 122
  • Gender: Male
Re: Need to get a swarm out of a camper
« Reply #3 on: May 14, 2016, 02:35:16 pm »
 I don't know anyone that has one, and I don't have any money to make anything right now.... not really looking to start taking calls, was just a friend of my wife's and she knew I was needing some more bees and didn't want to kill the bees to get rid of them...

Offline divemaster1963

  • Heavenly Beekeeper
  • Queen Bee
  • ********
  • Posts: 1354
  • Gender: Male
  • God Protect and watch over our sons and daughters.
Re: Need to get a swarm out of a camper
« Reply #4 on: May 14, 2016, 08:06:47 pm »
Hey give me a call I have a friend up near you that does removals. Maybe able to help you.
John
Gray,GA. 478-seven one 8- six 4 0 9

I would help but have a church removal Sunday.
John

Offline rwlaw

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 318
  • Gender: Male
Re: Need to get a swarm out of a camper
« Reply #5 on: May 14, 2016, 08:32:53 pm »
There you go, beemaster and the interweb saves the day LOL.
Can't ever say that bk'n ain't a learning experience!

Online BeeMaster2

  • Administrator
  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 13494
  • Gender: Male
Re: Need to get a swarm out of a camper
« Reply #6 on: May 14, 2016, 10:51:32 pm »
BW,
At this point you can probably smoke them out. It takes lots of smoke. Problem is you could end up with smoke damage inside the camper if do nor seal it up inside.
Good luck.
Jim
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Offline Beewildered61

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 122
  • Gender: Male
Re: Need to get a swarm out of a camper
« Reply #7 on: May 17, 2016, 12:10:37 pm »
 thanks ya'll but didn't work out.... tried to do it myself, but the bees are in a little compartment about as big as a styrofoam ice chest, with a little piece of paneling that slides away to open it from the inside, there is no outside entrance. There was a 2 inch water line and some wires in it, so I would of had a hard time getting my hand in there. The bees are getting in through a tiny hole, just big enough for a thick electric cord to go through... only way I see to do it would be with a bee vac and I can't find anyone that has one.
The lady is recently divorced and has a small daughter, they are wanting to live in the camper (it's a big one) behind her mom's house until she can get her own place...  I told her I am trying to figure out something hopefully by the end of this week.

Offline Acebird

  • Galactic Bee
  • ******
  • Posts: 8110
  • Gender: Male
  • Just do it
Re: Need to get a swarm out of a camper
« Reply #8 on: May 17, 2016, 01:41:37 pm »
Pull the refrigerator panel off on the outside and see if you can get at them from there.  The issue is not getting rid of these bees, it is going to be keeping other bees out after they have been building comb and raising brood for a week.
Brian Cardinal
Just do it

Offline Beewildered61

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 122
  • Gender: Male
Re: Need to get a swarm out of a camper
« Reply #9 on: May 17, 2016, 02:11:18 pm »
 thanks , but no, this compartment is a completely sealed box, except where the electric goes in and the water pipe and wires go in to other places....

Offline GSF

  • Galactic Bee
  • ******
  • Posts: 4084
  • Gender: Male
Re: Need to get a swarm out of a camper
« Reply #10 on: May 17, 2016, 02:23:11 pm »
What about getting to them from the inside?
When the law no longer protects you from the corrupt, but protects the corrupt from you - then you know your nation is doomed.

Offline Beewildered61

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 122
  • Gender: Male
Re: Need to get a swarm out of a camper
« Reply #11 on: May 17, 2016, 02:51:51 pm »
 that is what I tried... the only opening you can get into, is in the inside.

Offline PhilK

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 410
  • Gender: Male
Re: Need to get a swarm out of a camper
« Reply #12 on: May 17, 2016, 10:30:57 pm »
Trap out?

Offline Beewildered61

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 122
  • Gender: Male
Re: Need to get a swarm out of a camper
« Reply #13 on: May 18, 2016, 07:12:30 am »
 Not really sure how a trap out works? I've heard the term, that's about it....

Offline Acebird

  • Galactic Bee
  • ******
  • Posts: 8110
  • Gender: Male
  • Just do it
Re: Need to get a swarm out of a camper
« Reply #14 on: May 18, 2016, 08:46:10 am »
Trap out?

It would be kind of tough to do if they want to live in it.
Brian Cardinal
Just do it

Online BeeMaster2

  • Administrator
  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 13494
  • Gender: Male
Re: Need to get a swarm out of a camper
« Reply #15 on: May 18, 2016, 01:11:28 pm »
Not really sure how a trap out works? I've heard the term, that's about it....
A trap out is when you place a nuc, with eggs and a few bees, right next to the opening of the hive and add a one way device so that the bees can come out of the hive but cannot go back in. I like to use the white plastic bee escapes that you place in the inner cover as the one way door. The original way was to make a 8" cone out of screen or wire cloth and place it over the entrance. You must make sure that every other entrance is sealed.
It is important to provide eggs so that the bees can make a new queen. If it is a large hive, you will have to replace the nuc with a new nuc and eggs after a couple of days. This is not the solution if the hive is in the ceiling or walls of a house if you have SHB. Within a week or so they will slime the hive and have honey dripping through the walls for the next 3 weeks.
It normally takes 3 weeks or more before the queen decides to move out and then she normally comes out and takes flight with the remaining bees.
Hope this helps.
Jim
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Offline Beewildered61

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 122
  • Gender: Male
Re: Need to get a swarm out of a camper
« Reply #16 on: May 18, 2016, 01:53:01 pm »
 thanks! Well, I had someone say they have a bee vac I can borrow, but it's been hard getting hold of him.... hopefully soon. And what would be a good way to do the bee vac? I wondered about sucking all the bees out and putting them in an empty hive 20 or 30 feet behind the camper, hoping the ones in the field will find the hive and in a day or two, come pick up the hive after dark. They are about 15-20 miles from me.... and I have a robber screen on the hive, so I can close it up easily when it's dark, and take them home.

Offline Acebird

  • Galactic Bee
  • ******
  • Posts: 8110
  • Gender: Male
  • Just do it
Re: Need to get a swarm out of a camper
« Reply #17 on: May 18, 2016, 06:16:17 pm »
If you don't get the queen I would think they will go right back into the camper.  I would say if you get the bees cleared out take them 5 miles away.
Brian Cardinal
Just do it

Online BeeMaster2

  • Administrator
  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 13494
  • Gender: Male
Re: Need to get a swarm out of a camper
« Reply #18 on: May 18, 2016, 06:36:20 pm »
You will not be able to remove the bees from the outside with a bee vac. You will have to bee able to open it up and remove the comb.
When you remove them you will have to remove the comb with the brood and rubber band them into empty frames. Remove most of the honey and keep it for yourself. SHB will take advantage of the stressed out bees and lay their eggs in the excess comb. Hopefully you will have the queen in the new box. When you get done, either spray the old location with Bee Quick or smoke all of the walls real well.
Leave the new hive close to the old entrance and then after sunset take them home.
Jim
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Offline Beewildered61

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 122
  • Gender: Male
Re: Need to get a swarm out of a camper
« Reply #19 on: May 18, 2016, 10:45:30 pm »
 Thanks sawdstmakr.... yes, I was planning on vac-ing the bees from inside and taking the comb out, didn't know about rubber banding them to frames... didn't think about spraying the walls with bee quick either, good ideas.... Well, can't seem to get ahold of the guy that offered the bee vac, so I ordered my own, so looks like it will be next week before I get it and can get the bees....

Online BeeMaster2

  • Administrator
  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 13494
  • Gender: Male
Re: Need to get a swarm out of a camper
« Reply #20 on: May 19, 2016, 12:55:14 am »
Good luck.
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Offline iddee

  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 10853
  • Gender: Male
Re: Need to get a swarm out of a camper
« Reply #21 on: May 19, 2016, 04:06:41 pm »
When you rubber band the brood comb into frames, use only the brood. DO NOT put the honey and pollen in frames other than what is unavoidable.

Spraying with bee quick VERY temporary. Like a few hours. Once all bees and comb is out, stuff the cavity with insulation, or another swarm will enter shortly.
"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me . . . Anything can happen, child. Anything can be"

*Shel Silverstein*

Offline Beewildered61

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 122
  • Gender: Male
Re: Need to get a swarm out of a camper
« Reply #22 on: May 19, 2016, 04:39:08 pm »
thanks! wow that would be a headache, another swarm move in!

Offline Acebird

  • Galactic Bee
  • ******
  • Posts: 8110
  • Gender: Male
  • Just do it
Re: Need to get a swarm out of a camper
« Reply #23 on: May 19, 2016, 08:20:17 pm »
Insulation, that is actually a great idea.  Make the space undesirable.
Brian Cardinal
Just do it

 

anything