Too late for a Cut Out??? How-to??

[OldScout]

I gave a bee lecture at the local county fair and a couple came up and asked if I could help them. They have lived in a house with a barn for the past 8 years and the barn has always had bees since they moved there. ("The bees are coming out of several holes now.") I asked them if they were willing to have me cut out the boards of the barn so I could remove all of the comb and hopefully get the queen. There may be multiple hives in the barn. If I am able to get the comb tied into frames, is this too late in the season or should I just tell them that I will do the cut out in the Spring?? Also, where is a good source on how to do the cut out? After the cut out and installation in a hive, do I leave the hive around for a day or two to pick up any straggler bees? After I tie the comb in, do the bees eventually connect the comb to the frames so I can cut the strings?

[iddee]

Is it too late? Probably. With enough care and warm enough winter, you may save them.

Would it be better to wait until spring? Yes, 20 times over.

How to? Use the months between now and spring to communicate with Micheal Bush, myself, Riverrat, Bullseye Bill, and a few others on this site. We will give you all the info you need, but DO think about waiting until spring.

[Zane]

Old Scout,
I used to live up in Clinton on the south side of Woodby. With your weather up in th northwest, Idee is right to wait. Its going to get too cold too soon to get them built up for winter. Unless you could create a "perfect" home from all the comb etc(not probable especially w/ your first attempt). There used to bee a guy I worked w/ that lives up in that area(Camano Island I think, but still fairly close) He had an herb farm and bee's. You might talk to him to get some opinions and maybe help from a local. I'll try to find his biz card and fwd you the info. Otherwise ck the yellow pages.

Idee is the "go to" guy on cut outs it seems, so follow his words and you'll do just fine.

Another idea if you know people w/ bee's and if they cant wait until spring is combine the "cutout" bee's into an established hive.

Good luck

[riverrat]

Iddee gave good advise. I am still putting a few cutouts in nuc boxes to try to overwinter. But only ones I know I got the queen and are strong hives with a lot of brood. Bees are in the getting ready for winter mode so It is hard to get them to build up. Its best to wait until spring when they are in the building up mode. Waiting until spring will also give you a chance to get you a bee vac built and the tools and knowlege needed to get it done come spring.

[reneal]

I live in the same general climate as you do, & while I've only done three cutouts this late in the season, two didn't survive the winter. The third one I left in a box near their old nest with much of the honey so they could move it into their new home. They absconded from the box I had put them in after cleaning up all the honey. Not sure if they got the honey or if some other feral hive was robbing it. They might have survived, but not in one of my boxes. I wouldn't do it unless they absolutely have to be moved now.

[OldScout]

OK, I'm in no hurry and the couple has had the bees there for eight years so i will ask them to wait until the winter. I think I'll still investigate the site now so I know what I'll be up against in the Spring and to let them know that a plan will be in place. I have read a few (usually humerous) articles telling about specific cut-outs but haven't found a how-to article yet. The people are willing to allow me to remove boards (its only a barn) and I rather do that than use a bee-vac. I still want to get the comb and honey. The young son with the couple said that they even tried to "spray" the hive a couple of years ago but that didn't work. The couple then sheepishly admitted that they tried to kill the hive once but wasn't sucessful.

[riverrat]

your still going to just about have to have a bee vac even opening up the boards. It makes it a lot easier. As for the spraying of the hive. I quit doing cutouts on hives that have been sprayed with pesticide. If I do I charge them almost double. Iddee sums it up best. "they started the job they can finish it." Iddee Bullseye and I and a few others that do cutouts are in the chat room from time to time in the evenings send us a PM with a time and date in the evening we can see if we can get in there and discuss cutouts.

[OldScout]

yeah, I was concerned with the pesticide question also but I figured if the attempt was a couple of years ago, the hive is probably clean by now. I planned on talking to them about it to see when they tried a pesticide and what they used.

[Ben Brewcat]

I've just been combining recent cutouts with less populous colonies. I don't bring any comb or brood or honey though, just the bees.