first time cut out question

[bnolan]

next week i am going to attempt my first cut out. its a colony thats been in a box elder tree for a couple of years now. the tree is small in diameter and the entrance is only about two feet off the ground. My question on this is I dont have a bee vac and was wondering if it can be done? could i smoke the bees off of the comb before i cut them out? any thoughts and suggestions would be helpful.

Brent

[wildforager]

It can be done but you might be better off doing a trap out. Easy to reach, why not?

[FlowerPlanter]

Smoke the bees cut open log. Smoke most bees off the comb then rubber band in frames. If there is still to many bee on comb shake some in your box, you just need enough room to work the comb in frames. Get all the worker brood, maybe some pollen and a little honey in frames. Then shake the rest of the bees in your box. Concentrate on clumps of bees where the queen could be hiding. Use a feather and a plastic container to quickly gather bee that won’t fly and clumps on the inside of the log, then dump in your new box, allot of these will fly those are not the ones your worried about. if at any time you see the queen safely capture her, just until the cut out is done, then add her to the box. Put your box as close to the old hive opening and most if not all of the flying bees will move to your new box. Leave it there until after dark, then bring home. You should feed them for a few days. Also let them open feed on the honey comb from the cut out.
Have someone take pictures.
Good luck

[bnolan]

thanks flower planter thats what was hoping to do. and yes i had thought about taking pictures