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Author Topic: Trapout #2  (Read 5246 times)

Moots

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Re: Trapout #2
« Reply #20 on: May 11, 2013, 12:54:25 pm »
Doesn't sound like you clicked the link.

iddee,
I most certainly did click the link...and have seen the hive staples offered by Kelley's before but have never owned any.

Again, I guess I could have spent $5.50 on hive staples plus another 5 or 6 bucks on shipping....Sat around a few days waiting for the UPS man to deliver them, attach a bottom board to a hive box, transfer my small swarm, and use that instead of my Nuc.  However, my Nuc is a 6 frame medium, my hive boxes are 8 frame mediums...that sure seems like a lot of extra added hassle and work to gain two frames of space.  

Again, I go back to my 2nd point, I'm not arguing that any of my decisions can be classified as trapout best practices.  I'm simply saying they were the most convenient and worked best for my particular situation.  I'm sure others mileage will vary.  :)

Offline Tim Bates

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Re: Trapout #2
« Reply #21 on: May 11, 2013, 03:30:17 pm »
Hey Moots,
Cleo Hogan talks about taking a frame of sealed brood out to the trapout to try and get the queen to come and see whose laying in her house.

Offline iddee

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Re: Trapout #2
« Reply #22 on: May 11, 2013, 10:30:08 pm »
Moots, all that you did was fine. I'm just trying to get you prepared for the next time. You may not always have a nuc to strengthen, or you may need another box on this trap for the remainder of the bees. Now is the time to get prepared for the future.
"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*

Moots

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Re: Trapout #2
« Reply #23 on: May 13, 2013, 06:42:43 pm »
Moots, all that you did was fine. I'm just trying to get you prepared for the next time. You may not always have a nuc to strengthen, or you may need another box on this trap for the remainder of the bees. Now is the time to get prepared for the future.

Along the lines of iddee trying to keep me straight....Thought I'd give a brief update to this trapout as well as pose some "where do I go from here" questions.  :)

Put this trapout in place Thursday night, Friday and Saturday morning were pretty much a non-stop rain event, but it's been nice weather since then.   Took this picture at lunch today.  As you can see I have a nice gathering of bees on the box as well as a steady flow in and out the box.  Saw a few bees exiting the cone during the 5 or 10 minutes I was there, but not as many as I would have expected on such a pretty day.  Glad to say it appears there's been no breach of the "Great Stuff" sealant and no signs of any other entry/exit points.

Since I used a small captured swarm in my bait box, and assuming it has a virgin queen...I'm trying to decide when exactly I want to have a look in the box.  Trying to find that sweet spot between giving her a chance to be mated and start laying and avoiding what iddee warned me of, having more bees than my box can hold. I did get a little history of the hive from a parish worker at the park right next door.  From what he tells me, the hive is 3 years old, for whatever that's worth.

So, thoughts on when I should take a look? 
If I find signs of a laying queen...excellent.  If I don't, I'll add a frame of eggs from an existing hive.  Either way, I'm thinking I'll leave this box in place until full.
Then what?  Really not interested in growing a new queen and starting yet another hive at this time.  I've pretty much got my newbie hands full..So what's my options?

 - Figure I saved the majority of the bees, remove the cone and tell the homeowner do what he has to do?

 - Transfer the bees to a hive box and keep it in place? (not sure I'm willing to hassle with this...?)

 - Move the full Nuc, but put a new empty to continue to catch bees and on occasion (i.e. every few days?) use them to supplement my existing hives.  Not sure this is       really an option.  Will they enter and remain in a box without a queen or brood to hold them?

 - Have a local bee club meeting tomorrow night, might offer anyone interested the opportunity to supply their own box and continue the trapout.

As you can tell....I'm all over the place, suggestions welcomed.  :)


Offline iddee

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Re: Trapout #2
« Reply #24 on: May 13, 2013, 08:20:38 pm »
I would gently lift the lid from the rear and see how many frames are covered with bees. When all spaces have bees, I would switch to a 10 frame hive without an entrance reducer.  Then you can peer into the entrance and see how many frames have bees.

Put another nuc with eggs up there when you remove this one. Let them raise a queen and when it is ready, put it on Craig's list for 100 to 125. I'm sure you can find a place to store the cash.
"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 Sparky

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Re: Trapout #2
« Reply #25 on: May 13, 2013, 10:01:37 pm »
I like idee's suggestion. Another option is to put a single layer of newspaper over any hive or nuc you want to build to a strong hive and a matching box. Then transfer the bees and frames from this trapout box to the box over the paper and fill with frames and walk away. You can cut a small slit in the paper with a utility knife to help them get started chewing a opening to combine.