Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => HONEYBEE REMOVAL => Topic started by: PeeVee on June 17, 2010, 06:22:13 pm
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I'm planning a removal for Monday. On e of two I'm planning for. This particular removal is on the outside of a building. No ladders to be involved :-D.
What do you think is the best time of day?
Weather forecast is partly cloudy with 10% chance of thunder storm around 0800 and increasing % chance throughout.
Personally, I'm shooting for 0600 start up on site.
The next removal is from inside an abandoned house.
This will be my first tryout of my newly constructed "ROBO Bee Vac". and I'm pretty psyched!
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Good plan, sometime without a thunderstorm!! :-D
I'm sure those that are more experienced will chime in, but i think the answer is whenever is most convenient for you. Early it is cooler too!!
Rick
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Whatever the time, make sure the bees are up and flying. You don't want to start a removal when everybody is home! I prefer to start later in the day. The foragers are gone then...returning bees seem to be so disoriented that they are less of a threat, and if you need to leave them until after dark to remove them you don't have to wait so long. Of course there may be other opinions too!
Scott
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I start all mine between 10 and 11 AM. on a sunny day. They aren't important enough for me to do a suicide mission on a stormy day.
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Amen iddee!
Scott
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It needs to be a sunny day with out the threat of a storm.
I like to start around 9 or 10 myself, really just depends on what all needs to be done beforehand. Need to let the foragers get going first. They will tell you if you start too early or the weather is going to be bad.
G3
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Thanks to all for the replies.
The consensus seems to be that I should wait for a better forecast.
I removed from this same building last year and they are doing very well. I would like to know where they originate.
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A nice sunny day is best. I like to start early just to get done by dark... but if it looks real easy and it's a long drive I might start late as I want to wait until dark to move them...
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I remove them when I am able to. Sometimes I have no choice but to remove them early and leave the new set up on site. Sometimes it is advantageous to do so.
The perfect removal is on a sunny day not too much wind, not too hot (fat chance right now where I live).
Begin in early evening and finish before dark and remove hive after dark.
...JP
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Well, I just checked the forecast for Monday and now there is no mention of rain. Of course I'm sure if I look at another site the forecast will be different!
I took a colony out of this same building last year - with help as that was my first. Actually that was during work hours (with permission) so I got paid for the removal. That colony has prospered and I now have the original and two splits.
This year I just told the Assistant Engineer in charge that I would do the removal on my own time ( probably could done the same as last year :-D ). Seems to be a very popular site. I guess there had been previous removals. Right now I'm thinking of putting hinges on that section of wall to ease future removals.
I would like to find out where these swarms are originating from though.
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Hinges on the wall :lau: I love it!! Why not stick in a couple of deep frames with foundation also :-D
Next year I would set out a couple of bait hives see if you could catch a swarm or two.
G3
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If you do put hinges on, make sure you at least leave a little comb in there just in case. Can't hurt. You never know.
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I put a baited trap there this year about 8 feet away that they flew past to get to the hole in the wall :?
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I put a baited trap there this year about 8 feet away that they flew past to get to the hole in the wall :?
The idea is to seal all visible holes where the hive was and adjacent areas. If they can't get in, they often go to the bait hive.
I removed a hive from between floor joists of a home this year, entrances were sealed, swarm trap was placed. One swarm caught within two weeks, second swarm I am about to pick up.
...JP
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Thanks for the advise JP.
I did the removal yesterday. Small hive. All the comb fit in 1 1/2 frames. I'm pretty sure I got the queen. Headed out in a few to change out the bottom and top of the bee vac for bottom and inner cover. Then feed, feed, feed 8-)