I have wondered if you could take a cotton ball soaked in something like fishers bee quick, stick it in the bees entrance and let the fumes run the bees out? have any of you ever tried this? looks like once they come out you could fill up the hole, and let them take up residence in a hive that you have place there for them..?? thanks!!
can you run bees out of a tree???
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While we make no claims about the
usefulness of Bee-Quick in such applications
due to the usual boring product liability
implications, we have been told by beekeepers
skilled in bee removals that they have found
the product to be very useful in a number of
tricky situations.
These folks clearly understand that they are
ignoring the instructions, and using the product
in a very risk-prone task, so we can't stop them
from misusing the product.
I think that any job that involves bees, ladders
chainsaws, and such is one to think long and
hard about. The value of a swarm is much less
than the cost of even minor medical treatment.
usefulness of Bee-Quick in such applications
due to the usual boring product liability
implications, we have been told by beekeepers
skilled in bee removals that they have found
the product to be very useful in a number of
tricky situations.
These folks clearly understand that they are
ignoring the instructions, and using the product
in a very risk-prone task, so we can't stop them
from misusing the product.
I think that any job that involves bees, ladders
chainsaws, and such is one to think long and
hard about. The value of a swarm is much less
than the cost of even minor medical treatment.
You could probably get the workers and the drones out that way but probably not the queen.Then you have a bunch ob bee's and no brood. Just saw the tree down and split it in half with a axe and sledgehammer. Then tye the old brood comb in some empty frames. Just no sence loosing all of the brood and honey that that they already stored up.I did just that 3 weeks ago. My bee's have 2 deep boxes full of bee's and I already have a honey super on. I am hoping that all go's like it has been if so I will get some honey my first year as a beekeeper.
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The beequick combined with a cone, might be interesting. The cone method seems to be the common way to get bees out of a tree. Search on the forums for "cone method" for discussions.
More info here:
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesferal.htm
More info here:
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesferal.htm
>>>>I think that any job that involves bees, ladders
chainsaws, and such is one to think long and
hard about. The value of a swarm is much less
than the cost of even minor medical treatment<<<<
But, it's like climbing Everest or swimming the english channel....It's just for the thrill...
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chainsaws, and such is one to think long and
hard about. The value of a swarm is much less
than the cost of even minor medical treatment<<<<
But, it's like climbing Everest or swimming the english channel....It's just for the thrill...
The tree i'm working on is a hackberry about 3' in dia, I do have a big chainsaw with a 50" bar on it but...the tree is located on the edge of a college soccer field and they have litterally spent hundreds of thousands of dollars building up the field,leveling it and sowing some of that expensive grass on it... 
so cutting it down it out...I have a funnel rigged up and will try and install it this evening..the grounds guys didnt really want to wait the month to have them all removed but i guess they will have to...also..another question.. when I place a hive there with the normal frame of brood and a few nurse bee's... would it be ok to place a weak hive that only has 2 frames of bees in it there instead? this way they will have a queen, or will the new bees fight with the ones coming out of the tree? thanks!!
so cutting it down it out...I have a funnel rigged up and will try and install it this evening..the grounds guys didnt really want to wait the month to have them all removed but i guess they will have to...also..another question.. when I place a hive there with the normal frame of brood and a few nurse bee's... would it be ok to place a weak hive that only has 2 frames of bees in it there instead? this way they will have a queen, or will the new bees fight with the ones coming out of the tree? thanks!!Well......
Here is a post I wrote not too long ago about my experience with removing a hive from a big pine tree on Eglin AFB.
http://www.beesource.com/cgi-bin/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=005089;p=2#000032
Here is a post I wrote not too long ago about my experience with removing a hive from a big pine tree on Eglin AFB.
http://www.beesource.com/cgi-bin/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=005089;p=2#000032
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4,971 Posts
I have tried both BeeQuick and Bee Go with little results. I took long copper tubing and dribbled it into the bottom of the trees nest and very few came out. I suspect that the fumes stunned them and they perrished.
I am now experimenting with Moth Crystals. So far, so good. My first tree was a suscess. I set a bait hive at the entrance and poured in the crystals on the far side and they came pouring out on the second day and swarmed into the bait hive.
I now have two new swarms that just moved into houses that we are trying the same technique on. The only difference is that I pour the crystals into knee-highs and insert into holes in the siding so that we can remove it after the new colony moves out and into the bait hive.
I am now experimenting with Moth Crystals. So far, so good. My first tree was a suscess. I set a bait hive at the entrance and poured in the crystals on the far side and they came pouring out on the second day and swarmed into the bait hive.
I now have two new swarms that just moved into houses that we are trying the same technique on. The only difference is that I pour the crystals into knee-highs and insert into holes in the siding so that we can remove it after the new colony moves out and into the bait hive.
>I am now experimenting with Moth Crystals. So far, so good. My first tree was a suscess. I set a bait hive at the entrance and poured in the crystals on the far side and they came pouring out on the second day and swarmed into the bait hive.
That's awesome! Keep us posted on this technique. As much as I hate the smell of moth crystals, I still may have to try this one. Was it PDB or Naphtalene?
That's awesome! Keep us posted on this technique. As much as I hate the smell of moth crystals, I still may have to try this one. Was it PDB or Naphtalene?
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275 Posts
Presently I'm in the process of trapping bees out of 2 trees at different locations. Started the 1st one on 11 April and I believe most all the bees are finally out. I let them raise a new queen in the bait hive so I don't know if the old queen will come out or survive. The 2nd one I just started yesterday. It appears to be a much smaller colony, possibly a recent swarm. I'd be very interested in the use of moth crystals to finalize the 1st and speed up the 2nd. My question/concern is that if the bait hive is close might the fumes harm them over a period of time? Start small I guess. I'm not interested in letting the bees rob out the old nest and using crystals would surely prevent that anyway.
Thanks for the idea and your thoughts on harming the bees.
Pete0
Bena, VA
Thanks for the idea and your thoughts on harming the bees.
Pete0
Bena, VA
Joined
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4,971 Posts
>Was it PDB
Yes.
>Thanks for the idea and your thoughts on harming the bees.
The first tree I did with the crystals was in an area of a stone company where customers were coming in contact with bees. The owner just wanted them gone, live if possible, but gone as soon as possible without harming the tree. It was an old catalpa with many entrances, so placing the bait hive with the prevailing wind carring it's scent to the entrance was no problem. And with multipal openings in the tree, I could put the crystals in away from the main entrance.
I didn't get as many bees as I thought there might be in the tree. So it is possible that some went up into the tree where they could not get out and sucumed to the vapors. I did get the queen and have a nice nuc hive for my trouble along with a check in the bank
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Bottom line is the bees don't like the smell of the crystals and they will come out. Don't use a cone or one way exit, they need the room to get out quick once the vapors build up inside. And if you don't want to leave the crystals inside of a wall, put them in a sock that you can pull out afterward. It is also advised to make doubly sure that the smell is OK with the homeowner, and they understand what the process is.
The two houses I am doing now are swarms that moved in within the last few days, so we are hopeing that they will have little comb left behind.
Yes.
>Thanks for the idea and your thoughts on harming the bees.
The first tree I did with the crystals was in an area of a stone company where customers were coming in contact with bees. The owner just wanted them gone, live if possible, but gone as soon as possible without harming the tree. It was an old catalpa with many entrances, so placing the bait hive with the prevailing wind carring it's scent to the entrance was no problem. And with multipal openings in the tree, I could put the crystals in away from the main entrance.
I didn't get as many bees as I thought there might be in the tree. So it is possible that some went up into the tree where they could not get out and sucumed to the vapors. I did get the queen and have a nice nuc hive for my trouble along with a check in the bank
Bottom line is the bees don't like the smell of the crystals and they will come out. Don't use a cone or one way exit, they need the room to get out quick once the vapors build up inside. And if you don't want to leave the crystals inside of a wall, put them in a sock that you can pull out afterward. It is also advised to make doubly sure that the smell is OK with the homeowner, and they understand what the process is.
The two houses I am doing now are swarms that moved in within the last few days, so we are hopeing that they will have little comb left behind.
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275 Posts
For my bait hive I'm using just one old brood frame and then 9 frames of foundation in a medium super, solid bottom board, inner cover and cover. What setup are you using for a bait hive? This second trap-out I'm doing is also a request for a hurry-up job so if I can copy your results I'd be happy. I'd have to remove the cone and probably move the hive away from the tree as the bottom board is about 6 inches from the cone. I just didn't think the bees would leave live brood but if they will then I'm willing to give it a try.
Thanks for your reply in advance.
Pete0
Thanks for your reply in advance.
Pete0
I put some moth balls into a hole under a colony in the wall yesterday . There is a bait hive outside the entrance hole with both used comb as well as new foundation . Going to check on it today as soon as it warms up .
The home owner said are new bees from a swarm . The nieghbor is older and said watched the swarm take off across country LOL said the swarm in the house is from last year . Hope this works .
Drifter
The home owner said are new bees from a swarm . The nieghbor is older and said watched the swarm take off across country LOL said the swarm in the house is from last year . Hope this works .
Drifter
OK I got about 4,000 bees or so outside hanging on the wall . They aren't interested in my bait hive just trying to get back into their hive in the wall .I also made a one way bees valve out of a dadant escape funnel .
How can I get them to use the bait hive ? I used lemon pledge as well as some wet comb from last fall .
Drifter
How can I get them to use the bait hive ? I used lemon pledge as well as some wet comb from last fall .
Drifter
Try brushing them off into the hive and remove the hive to your place for a day or two. If you have the queen, that's close enough. If not, go back for her.
I recently set up a trap (may 20 2006) to get some bees out of a tree. I got a call that there was a swarm in a nearby tree but by the time I got there they were gone (less than 2 hours, is this normal?).
The landowner asked me to remove the remaining bees from the tree without cutting the tree so I built a cone and stand for my 10 frame hive, the hive is 1 foot from the entrance that is now blocked and the same from the cone exit so about in the middle of the screen cone, it has drawn comb and some foundation in it.
http://www.primoelite.com/Bees/images/beetrap.jpg
My question is since I missed the swarm will the remaining queen probably have to leave and mate?
The bees look like they are using the bait hive(may 22 2006).
Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!
The landowner asked me to remove the remaining bees from the tree without cutting the tree so I built a cone and stand for my 10 frame hive, the hive is 1 foot from the entrance that is now blocked and the same from the cone exit so about in the middle of the screen cone, it has drawn comb and some foundation in it.
http://www.primoelite.com/Bees/images/beetrap.jpg
My question is since I missed the swarm will the remaining queen probably have to leave and mate?
The bees look like they are using the bait hive(may 22 2006).
Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!
>My question is since I missed the swarm will the remaining queen probably have to leave and mate?
Yes.
>The bees look like they are using the bait hive(may 22 2006).
Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!
Is the queen in it? It will be two or three weeks before the new queen will be laying.
Yes.
>The bees look like they are using the bait hive(may 22 2006).
Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!
Is the queen in it? It will be two or three weeks before the new queen will be laying.
I tried to brush some into the hive but they mostly flew back to the cluster . Some now seem to be using the hive but the majority is still on the window . When I brush them away there are more exiting the hive . Would it help to sugar water spritz them to put into the hive ?
I have a vaccum setup but most don't survive the test in my trys last summer anyway .
I just got a call tonight of a swarm that entered a house so another block em out and bait hive attempt will be in progress tomorrow .
Drifter
I have a vaccum setup but most don't survive the test in my trys last summer anyway .
I just got a call tonight of a swarm that entered a house so another block em out and bait hive attempt will be in progress tomorrow .
Drifter
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