[jbeshearse]

Things I did wrong:

Brought medium frames instead of deeps.
Didn’t bring any rubber bands
Dropped the first comb covered with bees
Did not tape my sleeves and pants legs to begin with.
Wore a single pair of socks
Did not bring enough buckets to hold the wrecked comb, etc

Things I did right:

Got the bees.
Wore a disposable zip suit (cutout is above and laying on the ground.)
Wore two pair of gloves
Brought enough frames and boxes (3 mediums with 30 frames)
Brought my cargo straps to hold the hive together
Brought duct tape for sleeves and legs (just didn’t use it to begin with)

All in all I think my first cut out went very well. The colony was underneath a mobile home and filled 3 mediums with comb & bees when I was done. Took about 20 or so stings, mostly on the back of my hands (even with 2 pair of gloves on). Worst one was under my watch band. Laying on the ground working above me (more or less), staying out of the drips, etc. I did drop the first comb off, set the girls in a bit of a defensive mood. Took about 4 stings right then. I did not have my sleeves taped at that time and only had a single pair of thin gloves on at the time.

The worst thing was cutting the removed combs down to fit my medium frames. I did not take any good pictures, only had my phone with me. The bees had very few SHB and I have seen no Varroa as yet, but really didn’t look close.

 

[AmericasBeekeeper]

The other thing you did right was learn from the successful experience. Why the watch? Were you timing the adventure? I cannot imagine getting propolis and old comb out of a wrist watch.

 

[jbeshearse]

I just forgot to take it the watch off, I know better than to wear it while I work bees - oh well.

 

[Yuleluder]

I don't even bother rubber banding brood to frames while at the customers site. The customer is more concerned with getting the bees out of their house then saving the bees...well most times. From my experience it is just easier to throw the brood in one box and the honey in another. I suck up 90% of the bees into a beevac. Once I am at a beeyard I dump them like a package into a hive body. I will then rubberband a few frames of brood, and then crush the honey into a frame feeder for the bees. Time is money...

 

[bigbore]

another thing you did right: you learned you could do it, so you are more willing to do it again if the oppertunity shows up again. sorry "opportunity" I keep bees better than I spel

 

[Farmsteader]

What kind of Vaccum did you use if any, does a Vaccum kill a bunch of them, trying to learn the best way,Nubeek here, but i am a brave one will do this, just want to do it right, have plenty of time. Thanks for sharing this, Is there a bookmark feature here so i can save this thread? Take it easy, AJ and Denise

 

[Budster]

I've never done a cutout. I don't have a vac, and I'm so concerned about liability of a hot amber coming out of the smoker and torching somebodys building. I can handle a sting or two, but after about 10 my patients would be shot! Hats off to you.

 

[jbeshearse]

I have a shop vac that I used. Between the shop vac and the suction hose I used a medium hive body with plywood nailed over the top and bottom. A suction hose runs from the vac to the hive body. The suction hose for sucking the bees up enters the other end of the hive body. I have #8 screen midway between the inlet and outlet to keep the bees away from the the actual vacuum. I should have added a vacuum adjustment hole to lessen the suction. The vac did kill quite a few bees. a lighter suction would have helped. When done I just remove the inlet & outlet hoses and place the hive body upside down on the hive to allow the bees to enter the hive own their own. At least that's the idea. I think I will build the Bee vac shown on the Beesource "DIY" section. It looks ideal.

As for stings, I would rather be stung by a bee than bitten by a fire ant.

cheers,

 

[honeyman46408]

I built my vaccum from the beesource plans and if you are going to do many cut outs build some of the reuseable frames it saves a lot of time and trouble.
http://www.beesource.com/build-it-yourself/removeable-swarm-catching-frames/

 

[bigbore]

Started there, and "adjusted" for what I had to work with, and I built my cutout frames based on a fellow WV beekeeper. His name is Cass Cohenour. I read his posts, and got up the nerve to do my first one.

 

[jhs494]

You might try giving this bee vac a look. I made one and used it last year on my first cut-out and it worked great.
I really like the idea of not disturbing them when you get home.

http://robo.bushkillfarms.com/beekeeping/bee-vac/

Just my two cents!