[marant]

I am working on trapping some bees from a water meter. I opened the meterbox and cut out all the comb (with larvae). Fixed the come into frames, put the frames into a bottomless box and placed the box over the lidless meterbox. Sealed up all but the upper entrance, bees have been going and coming as if it were a regular hive. Plan on checking this weekend, it has been two weeks.

Hoping the queen has moved up into the framed comb, but not sure, and with a meterbox there are lots of places to hide.

Would a tiny amount of Bee Quick (like on a toothpick) in the bottom of the meterbox drive the bees (and queen if she is there) up into the frames without forcing them out of the box completely?

 

[Jtcmedic]

I just remove the lid and cut out and find the queen and cage her then place in the hive and then smoke out the leftovers, then come back at night to take the girls home.I seal up wit duct tape and put nuc box on lid. Last one I did was a 10 frame monster then doubled in spring, made nucs from that and have done well so far. Always say I’m gonna get some bee quick but never did. I did 14 from water meter last year. Half made it usually combine them in fall.

 

[marant]

Wish I either had your experience or good vision to be sure I had the queen. I am seldom sure I have her. Thus, my question.

 

[marant]

Well, went to the trap and (Yippee) all of the bees had move into the box, made a lot of comb. Easy to just pick up the box, put it on a base and took it home. Only a few bees wandering in the meter box.

Did not need to try the Bee Quick. Still do not know if it would work.

 

[Jtcmedic]

It may work give it a try

 

[IAmTheWaterbug]

BeeQuick definitely works for evicting stragglers from a cutout or from a swarm branch.

But don't spray it directly on the bees! If you spray the bees you will kill them, and if you don't kill them and they fly into your catch box, covered in BeeQuick, they may evict your bees from the box. This is especially true if you don't know where your queen is.

A safe way to use BeeQuick is to spray it on a small leafy branch, away from the cluster, and then move the branch gently into the cavity or place the branch near the swarm's resting site.

The bees will move away rapidly, but they won't get contaminated by the repellent.

 

[marant]

How much is needed? My idea is to just dip a toothpick in it a little ways and put it into the bottom of the meter box. I only want them to leave the meter box and go into the hive box, not cause all of them to leave the hive box.

 

[IAmTheWaterbug]

I'd use one spray onto a branch, put the branch in the meter box, but the lid on the meter box, and then put the hive box a good 5-10 ft away.

The repellents work, but they're not crazy strong. Remember that their normal use is on a fume board that gets put on top of the hive. It drives bees out of a super or two, but not entirely out of the hive below the supers.

 

[marant]

Thanks, I have never tried it.

I am still waiting for my back-ordered Bee Quick to arrive, but at least at this time I do not need it, since all of the bees moved into the hive box and are now in the bee yard.

Maybe next time.