Last week I tried to take a wild colony out of a bee tree that was being cut down. First attempt, great experience, but I was obviously not quick enough or lacked some basic skill, because I could not get the queen. I'm pretty sure she crawled way back in the tree cavity. As fast as I scooped bees into my box, they flew right back out.
I took the comb I got, tied into frames, and what bees came with them, back home. I have not disturbed them yet, so I do not know how many I have or if they have started queen cells. They have been busy cleaning broken comb out the hive.
Since I doubt they can survive with so few, I was going to combine them with an existing colony. Here's my plan, please critique:
Take deep super with cut-out brood comb: first add upper entrance to box (What diameter hole???) Then place it on top of existing colony, with a sheet of newspaper and queen excluder below. My theory is that eventually the "upstairs" brood will hatch and no new eggs will be laid in the messy cut-out comb. Eventually, I will remove and discard the messy comb.
Comments?
I took the comb I got, tied into frames, and what bees came with them, back home. I have not disturbed them yet, so I do not know how many I have or if they have started queen cells. They have been busy cleaning broken comb out the hive.
Since I doubt they can survive with so few, I was going to combine them with an existing colony. Here's my plan, please critique:
Take deep super with cut-out brood comb: first add upper entrance to box (What diameter hole???) Then place it on top of existing colony, with a sheet of newspaper and queen excluder below. My theory is that eventually the "upstairs" brood will hatch and no new eggs will be laid in the messy cut-out comb. Eventually, I will remove and discard the messy comb.
Comments?
