Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => HONEYBEE REMOVAL => Topic started by: hardwood on May 22, 2011, 12:20:02 am

Title: Mims trap out
Post by: hardwood on May 22, 2011, 12:20:02 am
I started another trap out recently and thought I'd show ya'll how I (normally) go about it. I'm constantly changing things up a bit depending upon the situation, but this shows the basics.

Iddee has done a fantastic job with the explainations...this is just his teachings in practice!

Mims trap out part 1_0001.wmv (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adnk3rmSKnM#)

More parts to follow.

Scott
Title: Re: Mims trap out
Post by: hardwood on May 22, 2011, 01:26:04 am
Part 2

Mims trap out part 2.wmv (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3XGHl3rpYQ#)

Scott
Title: Re: Mims trap out
Post by: joebrown on May 22, 2011, 01:35:13 am
This is great!!!! I have read a lot about trap outs now I get to watch one!! Keep the Vids coming, I really look forward to them and I know others do as well!!
Title: Re: Mims trap out
Post by: G3farms on May 22, 2011, 09:00:33 am
Scott that is a great video series you have going. I put the eggs in on day one of the trap out though, it seems to draw the bees into the bait hive better. I think their instincts are to cover the brood comb so it will not get cold and since they are returning with nectar and pollen the brood will not go hungry (of course there would be some in the brood comb anyway). Just think if you would have put eggs into the bait hive on day one you would have already had capped queen cells (I look at it as day three of the making of a queen cell).

Just my experiences, not meaning to try and school you! I am just learning from Iddee also. I have a couple going on now and really trying to watch the last one much closer to learn more. The first trap out I did, used a ripe queen cell and it worked like a charm.
Title: Re: Mims trap out
Post by: AllenF on May 22, 2011, 09:12:39 am
Sweet video.    Thanks for posting.
Title: Re: Mims trap out
Post by: hardwood on May 22, 2011, 09:25:08 am
G3, I've done quite a few of them now and every time I've tried to put the eggs/brood in on the first day (or even second day if there aren't enough bees in the trap yet) the SHB have taken hold and once the frame is slimed the bees won't ever move in. I'm sure it works well in other areas...too many beetles for that here though.

Scott
Title: Re: Mims trap out
Post by: G3farms on May 22, 2011, 09:36:42 am
AHHHHH did not think of SHB in your area. Good call!!

Title: Re: Mims trap out
Post by: iddee on May 22, 2011, 09:57:03 am
Great set up, Scott. Glad you found a solution to the SHB. It will help many in the southern states.
Title: Re: Mims trap out
Post by: VolunteerK9 on May 22, 2011, 10:19:39 am
...waiting on the queen cell update video...

Thanks to you an Iddee my first trapout was a success. Planning on setting up another one shortly.
Title: Re: Mims trap out
Post by: preston39 on May 22, 2011, 10:41:03 am
Scott,
Many thanks. Just what I needed...a step by step approach. I am getting prepared for a ...TO....of a feral hive about 8-10' up the tree which is an old limb not hole that protrudes from the tree about 3".

I have the funnel prepared from screen wire...should I use the #8 instead?

I used a small die grinder to level the bark(Oak) around the entrance where I will attach the funnel base.(This tree is dying and will eventually come out).

There were 2 entrances and I have blocked off the top one (located in the saddle of tree and another limb 6' up from the lower opening) with screen. There was much hovering around the blocked entrance for a couple days...none now....after several days.

All work has been done at 4-5 AM with a light. They don't seem to be agressive...so far. 8-) :roll: My suit will be here in a few days.

I am looking for a frame of brood/eggs from someone nearby...hopefully. What is the time limit of transfer of eggs from one place to another...hours/a day? Conditions needed... warm/moist/light, etc? I have read...warm...95-98 degrees/covered with a mosit towel....?

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Keep the vids coming or I will bee or get lost! LOL
Title: Re: Mims trap out
Post by: preston39 on May 22, 2011, 11:04:07 am
Scott,
I conclude that you don't expect to get the queen?
When she comes out will she just fly away?
Why wouldn't she naturally want to rejoin the hive body that has been re-assembled?
Wouldn't that possibility be assisted if the funnel nose head was directed into the box?
An old timer told me to ...end the funnel nose... into a small hole in the collection box...just above the landing area. Anything wrong with that thought? If there is nothing wrong with that approach...I may use it.
Title: Re: Mims trap out
Post by: iddee on May 22, 2011, 11:24:08 am
Presston, if you will be there from daylight to dark daily to re-open the cone when it collapses and closes, screen will do. Otherwise, 1/8 in. hardware cloth.

Many beeks have scraped hive bodies making holes in them for the cone. Most are on the scrap heap now. Just ask Robo. That's where his is. By the time the queen comes out, the catch box will be queenrite, so no place for the tree queen. The fight to follow may just get them both killed.
Title: Re: Mims trap out
Post by: VolunteerK9 on May 22, 2011, 11:29:17 am
Heres The World Renowned Iddee explaining a trapout...

http://www.youtube.com/user/JPthebeeman#p/u/16/wTqFbiaD_js (http://www.youtube.com/user/JPthebeeman#p/u/16/wTqFbiaD_js)
Title: Re: Mims trap out
Post by: preston39 on May 22, 2011, 03:48:35 pm
Heres The World Renowned Iddee explaining a trapout...

http://www.youtube.com/user/JPthebeeman#p/u/16/wTqFbiaD_js (http://www.youtube.com/user/JPthebeeman#p/u/16/wTqFbiaD_js)

================
Great stuff...thanks.
Title: Re: Mims trap out
Post by: preston39 on May 22, 2011, 03:55:58 pm
Presston, if you will be there from daylight to dark daily to re-open the cone when it collapses and closes, screen will do. Otherwise, 1/8 in. hardware cloth.

Many beeks have scraped hive bodies making holes in them for the cone. Most are on the scrap heap now. Just ask Robo. That's where his is. By the time the queen comes out, the catch box will be queenrite, so no place for the tree queen. The fight to follow may just get them both killed.
======
Thanks...got both points. 1/8 it is.

On th second point however, would that be an opportunity to split the hive by removing the collection box at a time given in the TO period with say...the first half of the colony with eggs for a new queen........ and the balance from the tree hive MAYBE the old queen?

Just exploring.
Title: Re: Mims trap out
Post by: iddee on May 22, 2011, 05:39:23 pm
The bees will build more than one queen cell. If you want more than one hive from the to, remove the catch box while the cells are capped and place one or two of them in the new catch box. If you want to experiment on how to catch the feral queen, go for it. Maybe you can find a way.
Title: Re: Mims trap out
Post by: JP on May 22, 2011, 11:19:42 pm
Great job on the videos Scott! Will definitely be tuning in for part three!


...JP
Title: Re: Mims trap out
Post by: jaseemtp on May 23, 2011, 12:53:42 am
great video, i agree keep em coming.  I will be doing three trap outs this week.  Wish me luck
Title: Re: Mims trap out
Post by: hardwood on May 23, 2011, 11:24:50 pm
Here's part 3. I'm really not sure how long this will keep going. The hive beetles are really thick at the tree. I'm thinking about trying to catch the queen but time constraints might make that moot.

Mims trap out part 3_0001.wmv (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5C_mCVikUUM#)

Scott
Title: Re: Mims trap out
Post by: JP on May 24, 2011, 04:20:05 am
Man, y'all got a lot of shb down there Scott!

Nice video, even though your hair was a little out of place.  :-D


...JP
Title: Re: Mims trap out
Post by: VolunteerK9 on May 24, 2011, 09:52:07 am

Nice video, even though your hair was a little out of place.  :-D


...JP

Its that Florida humidity that does his hair in. Need to send him some anti-frizz gel.
Title: Re: Mims trap out
Post by: JP on May 24, 2011, 12:25:56 pm
Yeah, you should K-9, it did look a lil frizzy in this last video.  :-D


...JP
Title: Re: Mims trap out
Post by: montauk170 on May 24, 2011, 05:30:32 pm
Good series Scott and Peggy. Definitely useful when I pony up to doing one.  :-D
Title: Re: Mims trap out
Post by: jaseemtp on May 24, 2011, 10:00:16 pm
its nice to see a man on camra with the same barber as myself
Title: Re: Mims trap out
Post by: hardwood on May 24, 2011, 10:16:08 pm
Well, there should be at least one more video in this series...could go as far as 2-3 more but it all depends on the SHB. I'll make sure to go in for a good wax job!

The SHB are really thick in the area and the colony numbers are dwindling. It seems to be (once anyway) a strong colony but I'm sure they won't be able to fight much longer.

I've been tied up for a couple of days pulling honey but I think tomorrow we'll finish (whew) so maybe I can play a bit with them again on Thur.

Scott
Title: Re: Mims trap out
Post by: Larry Bees on May 24, 2011, 10:17:45 pm
Scott, was this near my house? Larry
Title: Re: Mims trap out
Post by: preston39 on May 25, 2011, 01:03:35 am
Scott you and Idee sure know what you are doing( I am sure there are others...just that I have studied the two of you...mostly).

Question;
I notice you used no protection entering an unknown environment...how did you determine before the TO began that no body gear would be ok?

Also, at part 3 time frame ...I am concluding for a moment that most of the ...oh...field workers are out..... leaving the queen caretakers and queen inside. Would that be a good time frame to extend the screen end/exit.....perhaps into a curved design..... directly to the entrance of the new home and allow...hopefully...the queen and her close/er entourage/balance to enter the new home directly? Or, does the development of the queen cells render that as a conflict?

Just exploring.
Title: Re: Mims trap out
Post by: VolunteerK9 on May 25, 2011, 09:32:57 am


....perhaps into a curved design..... directly to the entrance of the new home and allow...hopefully...the queen and her close/er entourage/balance to enter the new home directly? Or, does the development of the queen cells render that as a conflict?


Thats the reason for the addition of the frame of eggs-so they can rear their own queen. Ive only done one, but Iddee states that out of all the ones he has performed, he rarely captures the original queen. Im starting a second soon.
Title: Re: Mims trap out
Post by: hardwood on May 25, 2011, 09:58:46 am
Larry, this one's by I-95 and 46.

Scott
Title: Re: Mims trap out
Post by: G3farms on May 25, 2011, 05:31:58 pm
Preston when the bees leave the end of the cone they are going to forage, that is what is on their minds, not going into another hive. When they return they will fly back to the opening in the structure, not the end of the cone or the bait hive. After a while of looking to get inside of the original hive they will "smell" the bait hive and finally wonder into it. There is an instinct to cover the brood to keep it warm and upon noticing that they are queenless they will start to draw out a queen cell from a hatched egg. Some of the foragers will revert back to nurse bees to care for the brood.
Title: Re: Mims trap out
Post by: hardwood on May 26, 2011, 10:37:06 pm
And the saga continues :-D I have no idea if this will work but I figured "what the hay...it's worth a shot". Who knows, maybe I'll go down in history :)

Mims trap out part 4_0001.wmv (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_R9b2EAIGuc#)

By the way, this experiment stuff can suck all of the profit right out of a removal...I sure hope ya'll appreciate it!!

Scott
Title: Re: Mims trap out
Post by: joebrown on May 27, 2011, 02:44:52 am
Well part 4 shall be interesting for sure!! Great series!!
Title: Re: Mims trap out
Post by: annette on May 27, 2011, 03:20:38 am
Wow Scott that was great. I saved all the parts onto my desktop so I can share them with other beekeepers in my area. A great learning tool if I ever have to get bees out of a tree or structure. I liked how you went through all steps one at a time. Nothing beats watching how it is done.

Thanks so much for sharing this video and I am also curious about the cage. You dreamed a good thing there. :-D

Sincerely
Annette
Title: Re: Mims trap out
Post by: G3farms on May 27, 2011, 06:30:05 am
Thanks Scott for trying this, I was going to try it last year but you know how that goes.

i am patiently waiting for the next video.
Title: Re: Mims trap out
Post by: Tommyt on May 27, 2011, 08:08:56 am
I've had that dream

I can't wait to see
Scott I pulled a trap-out early
just because of the shb.
The tree (now gone :? )was in my neighbors
yard.It was my learning tool a nice one too.
I could leave a cone up for 3 weeks and get a nice
box of bees or even 2 /3 days and use them in to
beef up a weak hive.
  Last year after a 3/4 weeks, I saw the beetles crawling
allover the inside base of the cone.
I pulled the cone and the colony was gone
It took six months before any bees returned
that time, I left the cone up 3 weeks saw the SHB
pulled the cone the tree bees where gone and
never recovered.
Last week the tree was removed
They used a crane to take the tree and the Boss
told me due to Possible injury he wouldn't cut
open the area where they used to be so I could not
take a look or pictures

Looking forward to see that Queen


Good luck
Tommyt
Title: Re: Mims trap out
Post by: JP on May 27, 2011, 08:57:30 am
A noble experiment from a guy who snores like the dickens, while sleeping with his lil beanie.  :-D


...JP
Title: Re: Mims trap out
Post by: VolunteerK9 on May 27, 2011, 10:18:59 am
That was hilarious editing Scott..made me snicker  :-D
Title: Re: Mims trap out
Post by: hardwood on May 29, 2011, 02:48:44 pm
Well, here's the last one folks. I got there hoping to find a bunch of bees (with queenie of course) only to find an empty cage and the horrible smell of a SHB infested tree.

Mims trap out part 5_0001.wmv (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGczYI9uKi4#)

Not everything works out the way we wish, but that's how we learn right? :-D

I hope ya'll enjoyed the series! I'll have to try the cage technique again.

Scott
Title: Re: Mims trap out
Post by: JP on May 29, 2011, 03:23:10 pm
Hey, you could always use the box to add about three hundred bats from your buddy's carport. Not that I actually did that.


...JP  ;)
Title: Re: Mims trap out
Post by: preston39 on May 29, 2011, 04:18:22 pm
This approach for a TO to get the queen looks interesting;

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=141903879180396&set=pu.122105784493539&type=1&theater (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=141903879180396&set=pu.122105784493539&type=1&theater)


Comments?
Title: Re: Mims trap out
Post by: hardwood on May 29, 2011, 04:27:46 pm
What's to keep them from just marching right back into the tree?

Scott
Title: Re: Mims trap out
Post by: preston39 on May 30, 2011, 02:09:45 am
Scott,

I just noticed one pic was missing.

Here is the other one;

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=141903862513731&set=pu.122105784493539&type=1&theater (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=141903862513731&set=pu.122105784493539&type=1&theater)


In this pic I think I can see a trap in the wood funnel...not sure however. Otherwise they would return and it would be ineffective.

I also suspect the entrance in the new hive is toward the tree.
Title: Re: Mims trap out
Post by: D Semple on May 30, 2011, 09:59:02 am
Thanks Scott, appreciate all the extra work you put into this to bring us the video. I learned a lot.

Don
Title: Re: Mims trap out
Post by: hardwood on May 30, 2011, 11:08:18 am
Thanks D, it's my pleasure to make these for everyone!

Preston, if you read the caption for that last photo it talks about covering the tunnel to keep the bees from returning to the tree. What's up with that???

Scott
Title: Re: Mims trap out
Post by: preston39 on May 30, 2011, 11:19:13 am
Scott,

For some reason the pic was oversized for the 17" laptop and the comment wasn't viewable... so I didn't see it.

Thanks.

....."The Swarm Harvester is connected to the tree entrance via a wooden corridor. The bees get used to the hive box as part of their extended bee space. Covering the entrance to the corridor keeps bees in the hive box where you can collect and move to another location"......


"Swarm"....?..."Covering the entrance to the corridor"...?...   If a swarm why the rag wrap/tape to the tree? It must be a TO from the tree.
 I am not sure what they are doing.   
Title: Re: Mims trap out
Post by: Nathen on June 12, 2011, 05:25:11 pm
So when you do a trap out in an area where SHB are a problem, do you not let the bees rob out the old hive after it is empty?
Title: Re: Mims trap out
Post by: hardwood on June 12, 2011, 06:45:42 pm
Once the hive beetles overrun the colony the bees won't go back in...the honey is slimed and lost pretty quickly.

Scott
Title: Re: Mims trap out
Post by: Nathen on June 12, 2011, 07:15:10 pm
So in areas where hive beetles are a problem, a trap out really is not a viable option for removal from a house or other structure.  It's really only good for something like a tree that you don't want to cut down but also don't care about leaving a big slimy, smelly mess behind.