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Author Topic: 1st Removal. New Beek.  (Read 7644 times)

Offline scrapiron

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1st Removal. New Beek.
« on: July 27, 2011, 05:46:00 pm »
First, I am super stoked!  :-D My first removal, after only 3 months into my new hobby. I have read for hours on this site dreaming of all the swarms, splits, and sweets I have to look forward to in 2012 (my first full, and educated year of beek). Now here I am caught with my pants down staring into my first removal. I am in over my head, but I am confident I can get the job done. If there is any Veteran Beeks in the Greenville, SC (Furman)area who would like to mentor... I will provide all labor, a lawnchair and beer on ice... as well as a few laughs!
On to business. Here are the pictures.




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« Last Edit: July 27, 2011, 06:06:44 pm by buzzbee »
Matt

Offline scrapiron

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Re: 1st Removal. New Beek.
« Reply #1 on: July 27, 2011, 06:38:10 pm »
Some notes: The deck is built over the carport. In the carport, plywood ceiling with no sign or smell of bees. The deck is only open to the outside on 1 side (pictured), and is completly covered including skylights. The floor is OSB covered with astroturf. (yes, I said it correctly, Garage celing is plywood...Deck floor is OSB!!) The pile of dead bees on the ground is from the homeowner spraying wasp spray at the skylights... sniff...sniff. RIP Girls. The entire area around ALL sides of this property is swarming with thousands of bees. The porch is even worse.

My take on things. Large, established colony under the flooring of the porch, running between joists. Bees are coming out of the crack and flying toward the sun thus getting trapped by the skylights.  Other possibilities, I could have 3 seperate colonies. 1 at skylight, and 2 in the deck floor. Notice they are coming out of the crack in 2 places about 5' apart. The only way to know is to rip up part of the astroturf and look for nail heads. If the joists are parallel to the house, 1 colony. If not probably 2 colonies. Also they could be in the wall, not the floor. What does everyone think? I will post pictures through completion of this removal.

The last picture is a house across the street. Bet I know where these came from!
Matt

Offline scrapiron

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Re: 1st Removal. New Beek.
« Reply #2 on: July 27, 2011, 06:47:31 pm »
Click on any of the thumbnails and it will take you to the album.
Matt

Offline Kathyp

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Re: 1st Removal. New Beek.
« Reply #3 on: July 27, 2011, 08:10:54 pm »
JP or others may have a better guess, but i'm guessing wall.  it looks like the main entrances are at the top of the wall.  it's hard to tell from the pictures (for me) but the logical place for the hive(s) would seem to be down from those entrances.  since this is a fancy carport, it is likely that they just slapped up interior wall and siding outside and the center is a nice void for the bees.  they probably didn't do much to make sure the top was sealed off as long as the inside wasn't leaking water.

you may be able to take a stethoscope and listen to the wall.  see if you can hear them in there. 
Someone really ought to tell them that the world of Ayn Rand?s novel was not meant to be aspirational.

Offline scrapiron

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Re: 1st Removal. New Beek.
« Reply #4 on: July 27, 2011, 08:25:35 pm »
Great idea with the stethoscope. There is shelves in the carport keeping me from getting my ear close enough. Sorry for the hazy pics. The sun was beaming through the skylights making a clear pic impossible.
Is it ordinary/normal for them to build below the entrance in the wild? I was guessing under the floor because it is above the entrance.
Matt

Offline iddee

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Re: 1st Removal. New Beek.
« Reply #5 on: July 27, 2011, 08:34:27 pm »
I would try to get an infrared thermometer. My guess is two hives under the deck. I would go at them by removing the plywood and working overhead. There may be a third at the skylight, but you will know that after removing the first two.

I'm 150 miles from Greenville. Are you charging enough to make it worth my while?
"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 Jim134

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Re: 1st Removal. New Beek.
« Reply #6 on: July 27, 2011, 08:49:19 pm »
I would try to get an infrared thermometer.

You can use this  for variable temperatures in the walls/floor/ceiling

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200467177_200467177


   Hope this help you


    BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)
« Last Edit: July 27, 2011, 09:49:09 pm by Jim 134 »
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Offline iddee

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Re: 1st Removal. New Beek.
« Reply #7 on: July 27, 2011, 08:49:38 pm »
Dwight Porter is in Easley. He may help you.

http://www.porterfarmbees.com/
"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 scrapiron

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Re: 1st Removal. New Beek.
« Reply #8 on: July 27, 2011, 09:47:03 pm »
Thanks for the lead iddee. I wish I was making enough $ to import your expertise! Just got more info, there is definitely 3 seperate hives. The only one I am worried about is the skylight.
Matt

Offline Dave360

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Re: 1st Removal. New Beek.
« Reply #9 on: July 27, 2011, 10:22:19 pm »
I vote for the wall also and would try it first as it looks like it wouldn't be to hard to remove

good luck

Dave

Offline JP

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Re: 1st Removal. New Beek.
« Reply #10 on: July 27, 2011, 10:36:46 pm »
I agree with Iddee, looks like two in the deck as they are entering right above where the top plate of the wall should be which would put them above the top of the wall inthe ceiling of the deck.

Hive three in the sky light area.


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Offline Dave360

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Re: 1st Removal. New Beek.
« Reply #11 on: July 27, 2011, 11:33:43 pm »
I voted for the wall
but wouldn't bet against JP
he has lots more experience

Dave

Offline scrapiron

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Re: 1st Removal. New Beek.
« Reply #12 on: July 28, 2011, 12:17:05 am »
I voted for the wall
but wouldn't bet against JP
he has lots more experience

Dave


HaHaHa, Agreed. I have alot of respect for JP. NOT just because I was raised in Lafayette, La. and he probably has Boudin in his fridge right now! But I have seen him from YouTube to the forums... and he has been around  (in a good way, you ole Coonass).

Anyway, my game plan is cutout the 2 in the floor of the deck Friday morning. All leftover girls from the cutouts will head to the skylight. Then Saturday I am going to do a trapout at the skylight for a week or so. I just happen to have a queenless hive with eggs in a queen cell right now. This should do ok for the trapout... right? 
Matt

Offline Kathyp

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Re: 1st Removal. New Beek.
« Reply #13 on: July 28, 2011, 12:19:03 am »
take pictures.  if JP and iddee say floor, they are probably right  ;)
Someone really ought to tell them that the world of Ayn Rand?s novel was not meant to be aspirational.

Offline scrapiron

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Re: 1st Removal. New Beek.
« Reply #14 on: July 29, 2011, 07:41:37 pm »


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The first 2 were a success.
Matt

Offline scrapiron

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Re: 1st Removal. New Beek.
« Reply #15 on: July 29, 2011, 08:00:56 pm »
There is 20 pictures in the imageshack gallery. Just click on the picture and it will take you there.

Everything went sooo smooth. No hang ups at all. Beginners Luck!  ;) My 12 year old daughter was my assistant, and she kicked butt! She found the Queen in the first hive. FIRST time in a beesuit and she found the Queen. Talk about some major beginners luck. The second hive was loaded with SHB and occupied 2 areas in the floor. One of the floor joists was cut too short and they just expanded into the next void. Larvae all over the floor. Looks like the SHB uncap them and eat them. Didnt see the queen in it and I dont like the looks of it. Little to no food stores. I left the hives sitting on the floor at the cutouts. Tonight at dark, I will go seal them up and bring them home.

The size of the skylight hive has trippled today. Fighting going on everywhere. It doesnt look to hard to open up. I may try to cut it out also instead of a trapout.
Question. I have a weak, queenless hive with a queen cup close to being capped. Should I sit it on top of a ladder at the skylight to try to get some of the lost girls? Will it work or just cause more chaos? 
Matt

Offline scrapiron

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Re: 1st Removal. New Beek.
« Reply #16 on: July 29, 2011, 11:16:35 pm »
Here is the first and second half of hive 2. The second half broke in the middle pretty bad.


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Matt

Offline Kathyp

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Re: 1st Removal. New Beek.
« Reply #17 on: July 29, 2011, 11:41:01 pm »
looks like you have done a great job.  that's one to get your feet wet on  :)!
Someone really ought to tell them that the world of Ayn Rand?s novel was not meant to be aspirational.

Offline Tommyt

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Re: 1st Removal. New Beek.
« Reply #18 on: July 30, 2011, 09:20:36 am »
Thats a Great cut out
Congratulations and same to your Helper


Tommyt
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Offline scrapiron

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Re: 1st Removal. New Beek.
« Reply #19 on: July 30, 2011, 10:02:59 am »
Thanks Guys! I went back to pick up the hives last night, and #2 was empty.  :-x The Queen was prolly very happy when she saw daylight... A chance to excape the SHB. It was beyond bad. I strapped the hive body to a ladder and put it at the skylight. Wish I had a picture but it was dark. There is 3 huge swarmlike balls of bees in different areas of the skylights.
I thought about cleaning box #2 out, putting nicer comb in, and just start scraping the clusters into the box. ? Mabey there is a queen in there somewhere.
Matt