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Author Topic: A question about cut outs and when to say when??  (Read 4417 times)

Offline mlewis48

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A question about cut outs and when to say when??
« on: July 12, 2008, 01:18:01 am »
   I have a question for you guys that are always doing the removals. When do you stop taking the calls???   I know that the answer will vary from state to state but it seems that here lately, the calls don't stop. I just wish that they were back in May or June. Most of them have been easy in and out but the one that is next is in the walls of a house that was built in the early 1900's that is going to be demolished in the fall and the owner is a bee lover and wants them removed, not killed.  If I take all of the stores will they stand a chance or will I be the death of this colony?
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Offline SgtMaj

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Re: A question about cut outs and when to say when??
« Reply #1 on: July 12, 2008, 03:09:46 am »
Take all the stores and plan to feed them, and you should be fine in my opinion. 

Offline Robo

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Re: A question about cut outs and when to say when??
« Reply #2 on: July 12, 2008, 09:31:24 am »
It more depends on how much brood you can save and how fast they can recover, more than the stores.  They need to recover and produce enough winter bees for the colony to survive.  The closer we get to Fall, the harder it is to do a cutout because of all the stores and the more bees that will be killed during the process.   

You need to be extra careful and take your time to get as much of the brood (and queen) as possible.  Put them in as small as possible hive configuration and let them build back up their strength.   

When you say take all the stores, do you me for yourself?   I would suggest feeding as much of the stores back to them as possible.  If done correctly,  you should be able to build them back up for winter.

As the season progresses, I usually raise my prices because of the added work involved, to the point that I try to convince people to wait until Spring.   Early Spring removals are much much much easier as the stores have been reduced to a minimum.
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Offline JP

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Re: A question about cut outs and when to say when??
« Reply #3 on: July 12, 2008, 12:34:36 pm »
It more depends on how much brood you can save and how fast they can recover, more than the stores.  They need to recover and produce enough winter bees for the colony to survive.  The closer we get to Fall, the harder it is to do a cutout because of all the stores and the more bees that will be killed during the process.   

You need to be extra careful and take your time to get as much of the brood (and queen) as possible.  Put them in as small as possible hive configuration and let them build back up their strength.   

When you say take all the stores, do you me for yourself?   I would suggest feeding as much of the stores back to them as possible.  If done correctly,  you should be able to build them back up for winter.

As the season progresses, I usually raise my prices because of the added work involved, to the point that I try to convince people to wait until Spring.   Early Spring removals are much much much easier as the stores have been reduced to a minimum.


I never stop taking calls but I do at some point try and convince people to let the bees winter right where they are until spring.

That point is getting really close and the main factor is the heat, when the temps become unbearable the bees also suffer tremendously, they get stressed more easily and often succumb to overheating.

When you have no choice, you do what you have to. Make sure you have a spray bottle with water to douse the bees with and don't overcrowd them, or you will wind up with a big mess.

I raise my prices accordingly as well to work in intense heat, my competition does as well.

Good luck!!


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Offline SgtMaj

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Re: A question about cut outs and when to say when??
« Reply #4 on: July 12, 2008, 10:01:03 pm »
When you say take all the stores, do you me for yourself?   I would suggest feeding as much of the stores back to them as possible.  If done correctly,  you should be able to build them back up for winter.

No of course I mean to give it to them. 

Offline Robo

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Re: A question about cut outs and when to say when??
« Reply #5 on: July 12, 2008, 11:56:45 pm »
No of course I mean to give it to them. 

I was referring to Marcus's statement.

Quote from: mlewis48
If I take all of the stores will they stand a chance or will I be the death of this colony?
"Opportunity is missed by most people because it comes dressed in overalls and looks like work." - Thomas Edison



Offline SgtMaj

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Re: A question about cut outs and when to say when??
« Reply #6 on: July 13, 2008, 01:02:25 am »
oh.   :)

Offline mlewis48

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Re: A question about cut outs and when to say when??
« Reply #7 on: July 13, 2008, 01:15:37 am »
 Yes, I try to give them as much back as I can.   Anything that I can do to help their chance of survival. But with this one, I really don't have much of a choice. The house will come down, in the Fall. If I can get them out, now, maybe they will have a chance. Thanks for all of the replies.
                                                           Marcus
" Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are gonna get"