Beehive in a Cream Can - What would You Do?

[Dermottj]

I've just received a call from a friend whose mother has a hive of bees take up residence in a cream can (pic of a similar one below) and they want them gone which I can understand.

I'm just not too sure how to tackle this, being round it's not (in my opinion) lending itself easily to the drumming technique unless I use a bucket ontop of it. What I am considering is smoking the hive pretty heavily, placing a bucket upsidedown on top of the cream can (making sure there are no gaps) and then drumming for a little while (5 - 10 minutes) in the hope that I've got the queen up and out of the can. Once that has been done I'm thinking I'll move the can from its orignial position and place a new hive box where it was with a few frames in it and dump the bees in the bucket into the box with some frames.

I think I'll have to cut the cream can open with an angle grinder then to get the comb out & secure some of this in empty frames with rubber bands to be placed in the new hive/box which is still in the position of the old hive. My plan is to then leave them til near dark, close the entrance and then relocate them to my house.

Has anyone any suggestions on how I might be able to tackle this better or has someone done a bee extraction like this before?

Your input will prove invaluable (thinking I'll get stung doing this one!),

Cheers

Johncream can.jpg

[Fusion_power]

I took bees out of a hot water tank once. The easiest way is to put a screen cone over the entrance, put a comb with young brood in a hive beside the cone, and let the bees do the rest. It takes about 6 weeks start to finish, but is 100% effective and has little requirement for work to be done.

DarJones

[RayMarler]

I agree. I think I'd trap them out, then leave it open for the bees to rob out all the honey. Then I'd almost fill the cream can with water and heat it up and pour out the wax. This way it save the cream can and you get some wax and the bees get the honey stores back.

[Dermottj]

So for my benefit, a screen cone is just made out of fine mesh with a hole big enough just for the bees to get out (one at a time?), would you move the cream can away from its current position and then put the new hive where it was? Also, does this mean that the queen will eventually follow the workers?

[Cleo C. Hogan Jr]

Done this sort of thing many times. I would take an old bottom board, cut out a hole in the bottom board with a jig saw the size of the cream can opening, then place a deep super with drawn comb or foundation over the hole and allow the bees to work up. When you start seeing brood in the deep super, move the super off the can, make sure the queen is on one of the frames with the brood, and then use the funnel to get all the other bees. Allow the can to sit there to make sure you have most of the bees. Remove the funnel, give them time to rob out the cream can. Then make sure the queen is on one of the frames, pick the hive up, give it a new bottom board without a hole in it and then clean the can with hot water. Then as stated above you get the wax the honey, the queen, and you don't damage the cream can.

The queen will not come out through the cone. You can get the other bees, but chances are almost nil of getting the queen, just using the cone.

Move the can or leave it where it is. Doesn't make any difference.

No reason for you to get stung. It is basic beekeeping.

cchoganjr

[Paul McCarty]

If you aren't very good at making cones, I think Brushy Mountain sells them. Little cones for about a buck or two. I usually keep a supply of them handy. Would work great for this application.

[Cleo C. Hogan Jr]

Dadant and Kelly Bee also sell a small funnel, called a bee escape, which can be used for this application. This would allow bees to exit the cream can through the funnel but, not re-enter the cream can through the funnel.

They are not expensive. Best I recall, about two dollars for five funnels.

Good Luck. If I can help you, contact me at... cchoganjr@scrtc,com Will be happy to help you.

cchoganjr