A local resident contacted us about honey bees in his porch attic. Is it worth the trouble to try to remove these bees and hive them in a box? We are in central NC and are also wondering if is late in the season to try to get the honey bees to get established in a new hive box.
If it is worth it, what would be the best and quickest way to get the bees, and be sure to get the queen.
It will be worth 5 times as much in March or April then it is now, if he will wait that long. As for getting them out, every case is different. I have taken them out in 30 minutes and I have spent a number of days on some. No two are alike.
I am near Greensboro if you need help, I will send you my phone number.
it's probably not worth it and you probably won't get the queen. The best way is to dismantle the porch until you can get to the comb. Then remove the comb and tie it into top bars or have those swarm frames already made.
Here in Louisiana,it will remain very warm for another two months on average. I have been doing removals as of late & have more scheduled. I believe the issue is to establish them before the onset of winter.I take my time when performing removals, and try to get the queen. Lately I have been very successful in locating her, but I take painstaking measures to locate her. I always put brood comb in frames, the more the better, & I use a bee vac,then feed the bees to help them build up new comb.
Hawk,I believe if we take our time in most cases we can find the queen. On some jobs I feel I'm on the brink of insanity looking for her. I was up early preparing for a removal.
Hawk, Are you telling me a man that will purposely tear into a box of stinging insects time after time, knowing he is going to be stung numerous times, even paying money for the boxes to do so, isn't already insane?? I can find MANY people in the general populace that will contradict you on that .
See, Sundance, I told you you were getting me in trouble when you showed me all those graemlins.
Here's another reason to keep a queen in a nuc (how about a two frame medium
). You can go look for the queen any night you want and get a LOT of practice without having to look through 30 frames or more and without having to face a strong colony or disurpt their productivity.
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