Trap out gone bad - found another way in - now what?

[David LaFerney]

On July 3 I started this trap out from an nest in a block wall - everything seemed to be going alright until last week when I checked on it and realized that they had found another way in.

I caulked it up, and thought that I had the problem fixed, but a couple of days later they were still getting in - no telling how long this had been going on.  Anyway that was late last week, and I didn't get back over there until yesterday (Monday morning) armed with a can of great stuff to cork up every possible place that an entrance could be hiding.

When I got there I noticed  a couple of dead bees in front of the bait hive, and not an awful lot of traffic compared to normal.  My first fear was that the weak bait hive had been robbed (5 medium frames of bees more or less) but there wasn't evidence of a lot of carnage, just a couple of dead bees.  However I also saw some fighting going on - for sure fighting - bees grappling and trying to sting each other.  Not lots of fighting only a couple instances of it at the time.  The bees in the bait hive were aggressively guarding the entrance.

So I used a piece of wood to reduce the entrance down to about 3-4 inches, and I went ahead and squirted great stuff all over the place - which caused a flurry of activity of course.

When I went back this morning it appears that they are now locked out of the original hive again - for now.  I say this because bees are once again clustered around the cone trying to get in.

The bees in the bait hive seem to be still aggressively guarding the reduced entrance - lots of serious looking bees standing shoulder to shoulder and checking the papers of anyone who wants in.  But I didn't see any fighting or more dead bees.

I also didn't see either a big cluster of live bees that are locked out of the original hive or a bunch of dead ones that have died of exposure. 

So, are the trapped out bees still being let into the bait hive with it's new enhanced security?  I can't tell, but they have to be going somewhere.

I don't know for sure if the bait hive has been robbed or not - it didn't seem like a good time to open it up.  And also they may just be in a bad mood - my other hive at home has gotten a little bit touchy in the last few days.  Might just be that time of year.  However, they should have a new queen that is just now starting to lay, but I have not verified that yet.  If the queen got killed on her mating flight that could be making them testy too I guess.

So, what do you think?

[iddee]

I think you need to reread my posts. I said more than once, use silicone caulk. Great stuff will not keep them out. They will just keep chewing holes in it and going back in.

[David LaFerney]

I think you need to reread my posts. I said more than once, use silicone caulk. Great stuff will not keep them out. They will just keep chewing holes in it and going back in.

I did use silicone caulk.  Where they were getting in is somewhere around the electric entrance and I caulked everything that I could get to, but there was an area back in there between the conduits that I couldn't get at with caulk.  I used silicone at the beginning and when I first saw that they were getting back in, I only used the foam as a last resort.  I built up quite a mass of it around the problem area.  Is it hopeless?

[iddee]

Nothing is ever hopeless. It's just a matter of our tiny brains out witting the bigger brain of the honeybee.  :shock:   :roll:

You can always try steel wool or rags. Anything to stop the hole.

[David LaFerney]

Nothing is ever hopeless. It's just a matter of our tiny brains out witting the bigger brain of the honeybee.  :shock:   :roll:

You can always try steel wool or rags. Anything to stop the hole.

In the event that I successfully keep them from getting back in do you think the bait hive is going to accept the trapped out bees? 

[Robo]

I find aluminum foil works good in certain places too.  You can really pack it in tight with a hive tool.

[David LaFerney]

I find aluminum foil works good in certain places too.  You can really pack it in tight with a hive tool.

Yeah, that would probably do it. Wish I'd thought of that.

[iddee]

No problem with acceptance. They will go right in.

[David LaFerney]

No problem with acceptance. They will go right in.

I went back and checked this afternoon, and you are correct - the bait hive has chilled out, and the trapped out bees are going right in.  I can see them nose around the cone for a bit and then get bored with that and just go on into the bait hive.

On August 10th I should have brood for sure, or not have a queen at all for sure (it will have been 38 days) - either way I'll do enough of an inspection to find out, and do whatever it takes to seal up the old hive more securely.

If there is a queen (and I have no reason to think that there isn't) and the old hive stays sealed, as late as it is I'm speculating that there is just enough time to complete the extraction and rob out the old hive before fall (our first frost is usually late Oct).  If I don't mess something else up.