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Hi I'm new to this forum but I have read it
for over a month now.
I grow a garden in my backyard every year.
This year was much better due to the more
honeybees than I usaully see. Couple of months ago I noticed flies buzzing around in the back corner of my yard. Well it turned out to be honeybees and they made a hive in the cable box. I've always been interested in insects particularly the social ones. I have built a hive and would like to transfer them into it before the cable guys find them and kill them. Any Ideas. I also have some good pics. These bees seem very docile.
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It takes a brave beginner to transfer a wild hive. I did it when I didn't know much, but it's scary. Here's some pictures and ideas of how to do it:
http://www.kohala.net/bees/capture/index.html
Here's some swarm catching frames and pictures on this site:
general page http://www.beesource.com/plans/swarmframe.htm
pictures http://www.beesource.com/plans/scf/index.htm
plans http://www.beesource.com/plans/swarmfrm.pdf
I've always just tied the combs into regular frames. Actually I'm fond of using "hair ties" because they are rubber bands that are easier to handle with gloves on.
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>I'd be inclined to try and find a beekeeper who's willing to help with the capture. Even at a nominal charge the experience gained would be worth it, don't you think?
When I was a beginner I did it. I had no help. If I had someone with experience to help it would have saved me a lot of mistakes and grief but it turned out ok. On the other hand, I've never thought of myself as typical and I'm hesitant to recommend someone who is a beginner try it.
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Michael
Thanks for replying
The info is most helpful. The hinged catching frames seem to be an excellent idea.
I noticed that the swarm catching site the beekeeper said the bees don't fly at night and rarely stings then, so does that mean its better to do this at night like he was?
Also these bees in the cable box have built the comb from the bottom up. Most pictures I've seen the comb is hanging.
More than likely I will be doing this myself so it will be quite educational.
I've taken the box off several times and taken quite a few pictures.
Is there a way to post some here?
Thanks again for the help.
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>The hinged catching frames seem to be an excellent idea.
I've never used any, but they seem like a good idea. Mostly I liked the pictures because it's the kind of thing you will have to do even if you tie them into regular frames.
>I noticed that the swarm catching site the beekeeper said the bees don't fly at night and rarely stings then, so does that mean its better to do this at night like he was?
I have never attempted to remove bees at night. Once I opened an hive at night and was attacked viciously by normally gentle bees. I would not try it at night myself. If you want to limit your exposure to flying bees, you can try to cover all the entrances except one and then cover that one with a wire cone with just enough room for one bee to get out. If you frazzle the screen wire a bit right at the mouth so the bees going out can pushe them aside but bees trying to get in have trouble with them this is better. Then every evening you can brush the bees off of the cone into a box and take them to somewhere at least two miles away. If you do this for a couple of days you will quickly depopulate the hive and not have to fight so many bees. Another method is a bee vac (plans are on this site or you can buy a box to hook up to a shop vac from Brushy Mt.). I have damaged a lot of bees with a vac and I tend to prefer to brush them.
Another thing. Most things with bees you do very gently. Shaking them off of comb and brushing them off you do with vigor or you will not succeed at it. You brush them with a quick flick or you shake them with a very hard downward movement and a sudden stop. Using the edges of the box to hit your hands on when you do this can work quite well.
>Also these bees in the cable box have built the comb from the bottom up. Most pictures I've seen the comb is hanging.
Doesn't really matter. You just cut it free. You do need to keep the comb in the same orientation. The cells have a downward slope and if you turn the comb sideways or upside down it will be wrong.
>More than likely I will be doing this myself so it will be quite educational.
I've taken the box off several times and taken quite a few pictures. Is there a way to post some here?
If you have somewhere to put them on the web, you can embedd a URL easily enough, but to actually post them on here would require intervention by Barry, the guy in charge and he's bee very busy lately.
>Thanks again for the help.
Anytime.
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One easy way to post pictures is to set up an account at
http://briefcase.yahoo.com/
Once you have the account, simply click the button that says Add Files. Point it to the files on your hard drive and click to upload. Very simple process...and free.
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I don't bother my bees at night. If you shine a light on them for very long they pop out at you like lightnin....
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Here is a link from our PictureTrails account that has an album containing the bees (my wife already had the account, I just added these pictures).
http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/...9391&members=1
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Beautiful!
Good Luck with the transfer.
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I have come across hives and comb that it seemed that they swarmed to a location and then for whatever reason, weather or lack of finding a good home, stayed long enough that comb was built and they decided to stay put. Of course in Pa. this is suicide with the winters.
Is there a cavity they were drawn to or do they just build anywhere in the Texas? It is amazing. I think it would be neat to move an exposed hive such as this.
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Was there a cover on it and this is the inside? Looks easy to get to as long as you don't cut any wires. 
[This message has been edited by Michael Bush (edited August 21, 2003).]
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I think your right MB. Looks like a cover went over the entire unit.(?) Little clearer now.
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Good Morning
I had to remove the cover to the box which you can see in the lower right corner of the picture labeled Bee Picture.
They didn't seem to mind me taking pictures of them or being exposed to the elements for long.
Question do you think if I put a satellite dish on the hive I built for them it might entice them to move in.
It sure would be easier.
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>do you think if I put a satellite dish on the hive I built for them it might entice them to move in.
I've never tried it. It might work. You just can't figure those bees. Maybe if you order some of the premium channels it would help.
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Animal Planet
Nature Channel
Discovery
A&E
Learning Channel
Wired in Wichita
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gibbee,
That is the coolest thing I have seen in a long time. If not for the four hour drive, I'd beg to have you let me come see them in person.
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Are you sure they wouldn't prefer Lifetime?
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Maybe I should try the Playbee channel.
I put some earlier pictures taken in mid june thru to mid august. All sets of pictures were taken at least three weeks apart(not each one but in three sets). I didn't want to annoy them to much. In about a week or two I will move them to thier new home. I will be sure to take some pictures and post them on the above website. It could be even quite amusing to some. I never wore any protection in all the pictures I took. On one hot day however I was stung twice while taking these pictures. Many of the pictures I taken were blurred, a combination of being to close and cheap digital camera.
Michael if you read this, in a post you made above
{Then every evening you can brush the bees off of the cone into a box and take them to somewhere at least two miles away.}
Is this so they cant find there way back?
I have not been able to spot the Queen yet either. Would she be more in the center of all that comb?
Thanks for all of the reply's
Gib
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>Michael if you read this, in a post you made above
{Then every evening you can brush the bees off of the cone into a box and take them to somewhere at least two miles away.}
Is this so they cant find there way back?
Yes. If you don't have a place that far away, you can brush them off into a box and put the box next to the hive, but they will probably all cluster back on the cone, if you're using one unless you get the queen in the box. Of course if you want to do this fairly quickly, you could put the cone on one day, brush the bees into a box that evening with screen on the bottom and a screened inner cover on top and a feeder inside and close them up for the night. Then the next morning, you cut the comb out etc. with a lot less bees in the air and put them in another box. Then when you get the combs tied in and put in the other box box, put a lid on tight on the first box and knock it sideways to disorient the bees. Maybe to one side and then the other and then dump them on top of the combs and let them move down into the hive and then put the lid on.
>I have not been able to spot the Queen yet either. Would she be more in the center of all that comb?
More than likely. If you can spot her it's nice, then you can make sure she gets into the new hive, but if you don't, as long as you get the brood comb in the new hive and remove all of the comb from the cable box, she will move into the new hive if she is still alive when you're done. If not, and you have brood comb in the new hive, they will raise a new queen anyway, but it will be a time delay at the end of the year that may comprimise their ability to build up for winter.
You may want to put the cover back on and close up any entrances to the cable box so some of them don't try to cluster in there again.
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