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Author Topic: Has anyone done cutout from a 44 gallon drum?  (Read 4137 times)

Offline Lone

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Has anyone done cutout from a 44 gallon drum?
« on: December 02, 2013, 11:37:39 pm »
We've only seen the outside yet, haven't had a chance to tackle it.  There is corrugated iron on top so bees coming out everywhere.  Not sure if the iron was placed on before or after the fellow disturbed them.  I'd love some advice, if anyone has retrieved a hive from a 44 gall drum before.


Lone
« Last Edit: December 03, 2013, 07:37:44 pm by Lone »

Offline ozebee

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Re: Has anyone done cutout from a 24 gallon drum?
« Reply #1 on: December 03, 2013, 04:59:28 am »
Sounds like an exciting task ahead!
 Lone, have you signed up to SwarmPatrol yet?  www.swarmpatrol.com for swarm collections!!

Offline amun-ra

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Re: Has anyone done cutout from a 24 gallon drum?
« Reply #2 on: December 03, 2013, 05:37:15 am »
gear up and get in there no different than any other cut out get the bees and the honey if any then if you miss the queen buy one. have you got any honey out there  im not getting much in town Mick
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Offline squidink

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Re: Has anyone done cutout from a 24 gallon drum?
« Reply #3 on: December 03, 2013, 07:15:23 am »
Hi Lone!

I had to do a cut out a few weeks back from an old wine barrel which is similar to a 44.
They only advice I can give is go slow as not to knock any combs off the roof.

Take some photos for us!

Ben

Offline Lone

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Re: Has anyone done cutout from a 44 gallon drum?
« Reply #4 on: December 03, 2013, 08:03:37 am »
Thanks for the replies; hope we get time and some clear weather before Christmas.

 Mick, if you come down this way I'll hold your legs so you can inspect the bottom of the drum  :)  Yes, plenty of honey here.  Town has been slightly better than home but it's still dribbling in here with gum trees out.  Might be a while before the next extraction though.

Ozebee, I got a swarm call a couple of weeks ago.  The lady wanted to keep the bees in a new plastic hive.  It turned out to be an external hive that had been there for weeks, and by the time I was called, had about 100 bees on a 6 inch piece of comb.  I told her to let nature take its course and look for a swarm elsewhere.  But I was thinking - had it been a viable cutout, what can you do with complete plastic frames?  You can't remove foundation and secure the brood comb.  Anyhow, regarding your swarm patrol, I'm on a local bee club list just until other beekeepers get back from holidays, then I'm happy to just have friends call if they find a swarm.  I don't have a mobile phone that works here for a start.  I probably need one more hive to replace my laying worker hive then that's the limit reached again..! (Till I assemble the boxes on the verandah..)

Ben, thanks.  Do you have photos yourself of the barrel?  I am curious as to how the comb will be sitting in the drum.  If it's attached to the iron it sounds like an easy task, but I'm guessing that might not be the case.  It must be like an oven inside.

Lone



« Last Edit: December 03, 2013, 07:38:29 pm by Lone »

Offline bud1

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Re: Has anyone done cutout from a 24 gallon drum?
« Reply #5 on: December 03, 2013, 11:13:45 am »
miss lone if it is as hot as you say. all yo comb is laying on the bottom, just open and give them a puff and get the suckers out.  and yess I have, one stuck on bottom going up and the other on top whch was the easy one
to bee or not to bee

Offline Lone

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Re: Has anyone done cutout from a 44 gallon drum?
« Reply #6 on: December 03, 2013, 07:26:11 pm »
oops sorry that subject should have read 44 gallon drum
« Last Edit: December 03, 2013, 07:38:51 pm by Lone »

Offline Nico

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Re: Has anyone done cutout from a 44 gallon drum?
« Reply #7 on: December 06, 2013, 07:12:58 am »
Lone,
More info required. Is it an open drum with iron placed on top? if so lift the iron and place it on some stools and go from there.
If the drum is complete and they are using the filler hole as an entrance the top will have to be cut off the drum, will be interesting. the only other method I can suggest is a trapout, let us know how you go.
Nico 

Offline capt44

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Re: Has anyone done cutout from a 44 gallon drum?
« Reply #8 on: December 07, 2013, 10:37:18 am »
I removed some bees from an old Truck air compressor tank this past summer.
I used the trap-out method and it worked.
It took right at 4 weeks to get the bees out.
When I cut the compressor tank open with a saw all it was infested with Small Hive Beetles.
The bees are now in a 6 frame Nuc with a Super and are doing great.
I've got a candy board on them trying to get them thru the winter.
Richard Vardaman (capt44)

 

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