Kenner Bee Removal-August 18, 2011

[JP]

This colony took up residency in plumbing/vent pipe housing that was against the floor of an old bathroom. I put in quite a few hours on this one and saw the queen late in the removal but couldn't quite reach her with my fingers. Little did I realize I vacuumed her up in the last bee vac box. I honestly did not expect to find her in there but was pleasantly surprised to see her in there the following morning.


...JP

Kenner Bee Removal #2

[annette]

That was great JP and as usual you make it all look so easy. Glad to have you back again with these wonderful videos.

Always so educational and fun to watch.

Thanks again
Annette

[AllenF]

Another great video.   I am glad you are now doing better.   

[jhs494]

Nice video JP. Its good to see you back at removals.

Thanks for sharing this video with us!

Joe

[D Semple]

Nice sized new colony there, great job JP, good to see you back in action

How is it shaking bees into a hive at night? Does it pose any additional challenges?

Thanks.    ....Don

[JP]

Nice sized new colony there, great job JP, good to see you back in action

How is it shaking bees into a hive at night? Does it pose any additional challenges?

Thanks.    ....Don

Unless you use the Bushkill vac by Robo you have no choice but to shake the bees either late in the removal on location (if the queen is caged) or shake them in at dark. I often shake them after dark on the tail gate of my truck. Any additional challenges? As opposed to what, shaking them in the day light I presume?

The main challenge is getting them to run in so you can put the top cover on. Most go willingly some are stubborn as all heck!

This particular hive was stubborn in that they just wanted to stay on the outside of the deep & medium set up. I smoked them several times over the course of 30 minutes or so and still had at least 100 on the outside when I decided to just put the top cover on.

In fact a good many that were left out wound up congregating on the bee vac inner box the queen was in. That was actually what led me to believe she was in there.


...JP

[D Semple]

I often shake them after dark on the tail gate of my truck. Any additional challenges? As opposed to what, shaking them in the day light I presume?

The main challenge is getting them to run in so you can put the top cover on. Most go willingly some are stubborn as all heck!

...JP

I've had some go long into the night also, if temperatures are moderate does it hurt anything just to wait till the next morning to recombine them?

I've been tempted, bees at night still have me spooked 

Don

 

[JP]

Don, I always like to have a decent amount of bees covering brood, no matter what time of year. I just about always shake at least one full box on site. If you are able to bring them to one of your yards that night, you can simply open the vac boxes. By morning they have left and entered the hive.

Here's a tip for you when shaking them at night: better to be wearing dark colors, white will attract at night.

One of these days I'm going to dye one of my jackets jet black!  :-D


...JP

[TwoHoneys]

What a wonderful surprise to find your video here, JP. I saved watching it until this morning when I could enjoy it with my first cup of coffee.

-Liz

[JP]

Thanks Liz!  I'm trying my best to get back to normal, still a ways to go but a marked improvement no doubt. Its wonderful to be fooling with bees again albeit its hot as heck down here this time of year.


...JP

[schawee]

good job friend :-D

[Bigtwin]

JP, did you build your beevac and if so, are plans available?

thanks

[JP]

JP, did you build your beevac and if so, are plans available?

thanks

Here are the plans my friend!  :-D

https://kelleybees.com/Products/Detail/?id=3336333333323333&grouped=1

The first one I purchased was under two hundred bucks but the price keeps creeping up. Emil built one himself, an exact duplicate. I believe he used a 1 HP motor from Wally world.

To build the vac and four inner boxes with hardware cost him around $150

BTW, I've come to find that using a pool hose is the best way to go. The one that comes with the unit is ok in early spring before a flow but doesn't do a good job when they have honey in the hive.


...JP