[rickh]

When trapping bees out of a tree using a funnel shaped screen with a hive near the exit do you just get the foragers?

 

[honeyman46408]

IMO yes but they all gota go to the bathroom sonetime

 

[Pete0]

In my experience, yes. After a day with no foragers returning, younger bees turn to the task to bring resources to the colony. As they don't return, younger and younger bees are tasked to leave the colony. After a period of time the population of the colony is minimized and it is at this point that the funnel can be removed and the now stronger colony, which you have made queenright, outside the tree/structure can rob out the parent colony. Some say the old queen may eventually leave through the funnel but not in my experience. I think she perishes when the original colony is robbed out. You don't get any or the genetics from this feral colony except through the drones that you'll capture as well.

Good luck,

Pete0
Bena, VA

 

[rickh]

Thanks Pete. Thats interesting. I had not thought about putting a queen in the hive.

 

[rkr]

I had not thought about putting a queen in the hive.

Well.... do a search for "trap out". You will find that the prevailing opinion is that you want to put a frame of eggs and some nurse bees in the "catch" hive and let them raise there own queen. If you put a queen in it there is a chance that the bees from the mother hive will kill the queen or so the experience of many tells us. I will find out this spring how well the frame of brood works.

Like Pete said the genetics you "save" from this hive will be through the drones and the bee's in the area that mate with your virgin queen.

RKR

 

[rickh]

Should I use a full size deep or could I use a deep 5 frame nuc?