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Author Topic: Bees in a tree  (Read 3752 times)

Offline gwalker314

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Bees in a tree
« on: June 17, 2010, 08:58:13 am »
Here's a short video of honeybees in a homeowners tree that she wants removed. The bees were very docile and the opening is only 4' from the ground. I will use Iddee's trapout instructions and hopefully it will go as planned. My 1st cutout was a tough learning experience. This will be my 1st trap out. I plan on making a video on the trapout setup and some pics as well.

Bees in the Tree

GW
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Offline Damonh

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Re: Bees in a tree
« Reply #1 on: June 17, 2010, 09:30:45 am »
I just did one too. The tree looked just like yours, except it was only 16" off the ground.The trap out went just as it was planned. It was a fun learning experience. Good luck
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Offline gwalker314

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Re: Bees in a tree
« Reply #2 on: June 17, 2010, 01:01:16 pm »
Glad to hear yours went smoothly. How long did the trapout take for you?
I told the homeowner 4-6 weeks. She doesn't know I've never done this before. haha
Did you have 1 frame of brood and eggs & did you get the queen?

GW
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Offline hardwood

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Re: Bees in a tree
« Reply #3 on: June 17, 2010, 05:00:33 pm »
I just finished three trap outs from trees last week. 3-4 weeks is about when the SHB start to take over around here it seems and at that point it's best to just gather the trap and move on. I've got another that I started two weeks ago and instead of placing in a frame of brood (SHB problem with that too) I waited until the trap hive was full enough of bees to take care of the beetles and put 5 grafted cells in with them. I checked yesterday and they had drawn at least 3 of them. I'll most likely move the trap hive on day 9 back to the bee yard.

Scott
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"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag...We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language...And we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."

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Offline gwalker314

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Re: Bees in a tree
« Reply #4 on: June 17, 2010, 06:36:56 pm »
Thanks for the input Scott,
I saw a couple of SHB's yesterday around the tree. The homeowner doesn't want to wait until cooler weather to get the bees out so I'll keep a close eye on it for SHB. I may try and order a couple of queens if I can get enough bees. If after 3-4 weeks and the SHB's take over what is the best way to finish up with the tree for the homeowner. Will the bees abscond from the tree when the beetles take over?

GW
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Offline hardwood

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Re: Bees in a tree
« Reply #5 on: June 17, 2010, 07:30:38 pm »
If the Beetles take over they will rapidly infest all of the comb and remaining brood, so at that point all is lost with the tree colony. What to do with the bees in the bait hive is up to you...give them a queen by however means or combine with an existing hive. Remember that the bees in the bait hive are older bees and will decline in population pretty quickly once you take them away so unless you have the resources to give them a queen it's best to combine. If you keep a close eye on the trap out you'll notice a point in which virtually no bees are exiting the tree. That's when I take mine away...before the SHB gets a foothold.

I don't know if this would be the right way for you or not. I'd love to be able to let the trapped bees rob the tree out, just don't think it would work here.

Best of luck to you! Keep us posted on how it goes.

Scott
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"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag...We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language...And we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."

Theodore Roosevelt 1907

Offline hardwood

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Re: Bees in a tree
« Reply #6 on: June 17, 2010, 07:34:42 pm »
By the way, after I'm done I spray foam in the cavity and embed a piece of metal screen in the foam to keep anything from chewing its way back into the tree and (hopefully) keep all of the SHB larvae inside.

Scott
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"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag...We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language...And we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."

Theodore Roosevelt 1907

Offline gwalker314

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Re: Bees in a tree
« Reply #7 on: June 18, 2010, 05:58:33 pm »
Thanks,
I'll keep you posted on the progress and probably have more questions.

GW
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Offline gwalker314

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Re: Bees in a tree
« Reply #8 on: June 21, 2010, 10:28:11 pm »
This is 48 hrs. after placing the cone trap board on the tree. Is the bearding at the base normal for 48 hrs later? It was put on at 6pm Sat. and this video was at 6 pm Monday.

Bees in the Tree Part II

Thanks,

GW
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Offline iddee

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Re: Bees in a tree
« Reply #9 on: June 21, 2010, 10:55:18 pm »
Where did you get your plan for your trap set? It looks like the ones from 20 years ago when everyone said traps didn't work. That set is a good example of why they didn't work back then.

#1... Get the box entrance against the tree and under the base of the cone.

#2... I can't see the hive stand well in the video, but is it going to support the hive when it weighs 80 to 90 lb? It doesn't look much like it will, from what is shown in the pics.
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"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 hardwood

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Re: Bees in a tree
« Reply #10 on: June 21, 2010, 11:15:35 pm »
As iddee said (he IS the master at this after all) move the trap hive so the bees can walk from the tree into the hive entrance. When the foragers return to the hive they return to the tree opening...not to the end of the cone. The trap entrance should be as close to the original opening in the tree as possible.

Scott
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"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag...We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language...And we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."

Theodore Roosevelt 1907

Offline gwalker314

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Re: Bees in a tree
« Reply #11 on: June 22, 2010, 08:55:40 pm »
Sorry Iddee,
I said in my 1st post I was following your instructions but when I set the trap up I improvised and I guess I made a new beek error. Today I moved the trap hive box against the tree with the entrance as close to the base of the cone as I could get it and its at the same height as the original tree entrance. I also built the stand frame out of 2x4's. Its solid now.
Thanks for the input. I peeked into the bait hive before putting it on the new stand and the frame of bees I put in there have already started building queen cells. The tree bees also appeared to be moving into the hive about 30 mins. after I set it against the tree. I had to cut the wire cone back a bit. Hopefully it isn't too large that they might try to re-enter the tree.

I guess if you ain't making mistakes...You ain't doing nothing?



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Thanks again,

GW
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Offline Cascadebee

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Re: Bees in a tree
« Reply #12 on: June 22, 2010, 09:31:20 pm »
Location of Idee's trapout method on the intertubes?
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Offline hardwood

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Re: Bees in a tree
« Reply #13 on: June 22, 2010, 09:32:38 pm »
Looks like a text book example now...good job! Have you also made sure that the trap was level or at least close to level? Congrats!

Scott
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"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag...We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language...And we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."

Theodore Roosevelt 1907

Offline gwalker314

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Re: Bees in a tree
« Reply #14 on: June 22, 2010, 09:49:37 pm »
Yes, Scott
Its level side to side with just a slight drop towards the entrance in case of heavy rains.
Thank you for your input as well. It was nice to meet you guys in person at Bud's. I hope all is well in Fl.

GW
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Offline tim adams

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Re: Bees in a tree
« Reply #15 on: June 22, 2010, 11:05:50 pm »
Looks good!
Looks like you taped the funnel? Thats the way I did it and it worked well.
Tim Adams
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Offline iddee

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Re: Bees in a tree
« Reply #16 on: June 22, 2010, 11:23:53 pm »
Looks much better. 30 minutes is about right for them to start entering when all is right. You will see much less bearding now.

Cascadebee, here's the link to the trap posts.

http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php/topic,20301.0.html
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"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*
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