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Author Topic: Too late to trap out?  (Read 29515 times)

Offline ShaneJ

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Re: Too late to trap out?
« Reply #40 on: November 06, 2011, 11:52:20 pm »
I normally have a bit of netting over my hat to keep them away from my ears and eyes but I was being a bit lazy and didn't bother. I'd like to say I learned my lesson but I'm sure it will happen again.
Shane

Offline Country Heart

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Re: Too late to trap out?
« Reply #41 on: November 07, 2011, 12:09:49 am »
Love the videos.  Sorry about your eye.

Offline ShaneJ

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Re: Too late to trap out?
« Reply #42 on: November 07, 2011, 07:20:28 am »
Here is today's video. Some really nice footage in this one I reckon.

This video was taken at 2:30pm just after the hottest part of the day. The cone was packed full of bees and they were pouring out 3 at a time.


Trap out - Day 3 Mass exit



I visited the trap at about 5:30pm again and the cone was empty with only a few bees on it. I saw a few inside the cone and a few came out every now and then but the area was very quiet so I assume all the bees in the video are now in the box. I expect the cone will be busy again tomorrow as it warms up.
« Last Edit: November 09, 2011, 11:47:46 pm by ShaneJ »
Shane

Offline iddee

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Re: Too late to trap out?
« Reply #43 on: November 07, 2011, 07:36:25 am »
Hey, Shane. I think your trap out is over. I'm guessing, but I believe the queen has came out and entered the catch box.

A one-in-a-hundred happening, but I think you got lucky.
"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"

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Offline ShaneJ

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Re: Too late to trap out?
« Reply #44 on: November 07, 2011, 07:40:04 am »
Really? What makes you say that Iddee? Because the bees seem to move from the cone to the box as quick as they do?
Shane

Offline iddee

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Re: Too late to trap out?
« Reply #45 on: November 07, 2011, 07:57:58 am »
When the foragers leave, the inside of the cone may have a covering of bees, as yesterday.

When the queen leaves, the cone will be packed tightly with bees trying to get out, as today.
"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"

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Offline ShaneJ

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Re: Too late to trap out?
« Reply #46 on: November 07, 2011, 08:04:22 am »
Right ok. With my hive I have noticed during the hotter part of the day a lot of bees with exit the hive and beard on the front landing board. I was assuming those bees today were just exiting because of the heat. I could and most probably am wrong.
I'll have a look again tomorrow and see if the same thing happens.

Thanks very much for your input Iddee. I only had my hive for about 2 weeks before taking on this trap out so this has been a very steep learning curve.
Shane

Offline iddee

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Re: Too late to trap out?
« Reply #47 on: November 07, 2011, 08:11:10 am »
As I said above, I am guessing. They may just be trying to relieve congestion. You should know within 24 hours.

If you have a beard of bees on the screen bottom, check closely for the queen before scraping or brushing them off. She may well be there.
"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 ShaneJ

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Re: Too late to trap out?
« Reply #48 on: November 08, 2011, 06:47:07 am »
Hi guys, here is a video from today. Its 3 small videos in one, Morning, afternoon and late afternoon. It appears most bees have left the wall and migrated to the catch box as very few bees are not leaving the cone.

At this point now how long do I wait before removing the cone? Do I have to wait for any eggs to complete their cycle to adult bees? Or will the eggs not get attended to now and die meaning I only have to wait on the lava stage to pupa?

Here is the video:

Trap out - Day 4
« Last Edit: November 09, 2011, 11:47:02 pm by ShaneJ »
Shane

Offline ShaneJ

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Re: Too late to trap out?
« Reply #49 on: November 09, 2011, 07:45:40 am »
Iddee, In your trap out demonstration video you say week one the queen stops laying, week 4 all brood is hatched out, and week 5-6 the young bees fly from the nest. I understand the fist job for a new worker bee is in the hive(cleaning?), but if all the bees have already left the hive, would the new bees hang around? As the new adult bees emerge from the cells at roughly 21 days wouldn't they realise there's no other bees around and just leave?
Shane

Offline iddee

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Re: Too late to trap out?
« Reply #50 on: November 09, 2011, 01:58:09 pm »
I don't know how to answer your question, but let's look at this particular trap.

The queen left after a couple of days. Give them 4 or 5 days to become fully accustomed the the new hive. Then remove the cone. They should rob out the house and any bees left will either go to the hive box or die.  Watch the bees entering the house. If they aren't carrying pollen, they are robbing. If they are carrying pollen, replace the cone.
"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"

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Offline ShaneJ

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Re: Too late to trap out?
« Reply #51 on: November 09, 2011, 06:37:50 pm »
Ok mate. I'll try removing the cone this Saturday. Thanks
Shane

Offline Tommyt

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Re: Too late to trap out?
« Reply #52 on: November 10, 2011, 09:38:20 am »
Have you checked your trapout box too confirm a Queen
I know your working with the King of trap-outs
But I read most of the posts and didn't see anything
of it??
 Shane nice set of videos and good luck with the finish

Tommyt
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Offline ShaneJ

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Re: Too late to trap out?
« Reply #53 on: November 10, 2011, 09:41:37 am »
To be honest, I haven't checked for a queen. I have just gone with the fact that the bees seem to be happy working hard in the box. I have a look 2-3 times a day up under the hive and I can always see them working hard drawing the foundation etc

I'm busy tomorrow morning, but unless someone here says not to, I might pop the lid tomorrow after lunch and have a look.

Also thanks for the positive comments re the videos. I hope they are helpful to other people.
Shane

Offline iddee

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Re: Too late to trap out?
« Reply #54 on: November 10, 2011, 10:14:45 am »
I think looking for the queen in that large a colony would be difficult. Check for q cells on the frame of eggs you put in there. If it has q cells, there's no queen. If there aren't q cells, look for eggs. The eggs you put in have hatched into larva. Any eggs you find will be from the house queen.
"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 ShaneJ

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Re: Too late to trap out?
« Reply #55 on: November 11, 2011, 12:47:57 am »
Hi guys,

I have checked out the trap box and I did find queen cells on the frame of eggs I put in. I think there was maybe 4-5 queens cells but they were all still open though( this fits with the cycle of a queen).

One one of the queen cells I noticed worker bees with their heads going into it. Could they of been feeding a lava? Unfortunately I couldn't see up inside any of the cells as the location of the trap doesn't give me much room to move.

What do the queen cells look like if the original queen was in there and destroyed them? I didn't see any eggs on the frame I looked at, it seemed to be all food stores so I am not sure there is a queen in there, Would the queen wait to lay until all the foundations are drawn?
Shane

Offline Country Heart

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Re: Too late to trap out?
« Reply #56 on: November 11, 2011, 03:24:14 am »
This whole process is fascinating, ShaneJ, thanks for letting us all ride along.    :pop:

Offline ShaneJ

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Re: Too late to trap out?
« Reply #57 on: November 11, 2011, 03:33:18 am »
Its my pleasure..It really is  :)
Shane

Offline ShaneJ

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Re: Too late to trap out?
« Reply #58 on: November 11, 2011, 05:12:11 am »
Here is a video from when I opened the trap box today. Its not that good unfortunately because there isn't much room to move under that bush.

Trap out - Day 7 Opening trap box
Shane

Offline Robo

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Re: Too late to trap out?
« Reply #59 on: November 11, 2011, 09:55:07 am »
One one of the queen cells I noticed worker bees with their heads going into it. Could they of been feeding a lava?
yes

Quote
What do the queen cells look like if the original queen was in there and destroyed them?
If the workers destroy them they would be completely torn down (gone).  Queens will rip open the side of a sealed queen cell and kill the other queen.  Looks like a hole in the side of a peanut.

Quote
I didn't see any eggs on the frame I looked at, it seemed to be all food stores so I am not sure there is a queen in there, Would the queen wait to lay until all the foundations are drawn?
No, a queen will start laying as soon as the foundation is started to be drawn out.  The bees will continue to draw out the comb around the egg/larvae as it grows.

From what you say/show,  I would say you do not have the queen, which is most common in a trap out that has been there more than a week or so.   Either she absconded or is still in the wall with house bees.   Are you see any bees leaving the cone, or has all activity stopped?
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