[kiwivfr]

I have a fairly established colony in my hollow cinder block wall.
Any one have any ideas on how to rescue it without ruining the wall .
I don"t mind cutting or knocking a few strategic holes.
Any help would be appreciated.
Regards,Terry.

 

[dhood]

I would definetly setup a trapout, the comb will not hurt anything in a cement wall...

 

[kiwivfr]

Will a trap out capture the queen?
I just want the swarm

 

[sqkcrk]

how to rescue it without ruining the wall .
Regards,Terry.

I guess I'd better try to answer your question before asking you one. So here it goes.

First of all, there must be an entrance that you can somehow apply a cone to. Maybe several. So you want to close off all but one hole. Then figure out how to attatch a cone to the wall covering the remaining hole. Maybe caulking tube of glue would work? Ora cone through a wooden base and then glue that to the wall. Then you need to set up a hive for the trapped out bees to go into. And there are lots of places to learn about that. Do a search at the Search place on the bar above this Thread.

So, here's my question. Since you used the word "rescue", do you think that they are in danger or in the wrong place oor do you just want to have them in your equipment so you can use them for your ends? which is what I do w/ my bees, I guess. I'm just curious.

What if you left them there and set up a swarm catching unit to catch swarms from this colony? Then, if it is the genetics that you are after, you would have them. Maybe not on your schedule, but on Natures schedule.

 

[dhood]

I have gotten the queen before during a trapout, but it is very unusual. Do a search on here about trapouts, usually you give them a frame of brood to raise up a queen. In my opinion would be the easiest way to remove them. Are you sure that they are only in the wall? Or could they be in the ceiling also? any pictures?

 

[cklspencer]

Not sure if you can make an exit at another point like the other end of the blocks(bottom of the wall) and fume them out into a open screened box.

 

[kiwivfr]

Thanks for the replies,
There is only one entrance.
I want to get them out as I don't think they will make it through a southern California summer as the wall is exposed all day.Secondly I do want to put then in my hive.
I will research the trap out and let you know how it goes
I also make knock a hole down low in the wall and attempt to fume them out if the trap out doesn't work
Thanks again for the input.
Terry

 

[kiwivfr]

Up date on the trap out.
I'm 5 days into the trap out and have 1 deep supper full of bees.
I made a mesh cone and placed a deep super really close to the outlet end of the cone
I put in a feeder frame and a 1 frame of brood and a queen.
They have accepted the queen and are functioning like a separate hive.
So far so good