Two different trap-outs, two questions?

1339 Views 5 Replies 4 Participants Last post by Mr.Beeman, May 3, 2014

queenbee3074

Discussion Starter · May 2, 2014

First trap out is on a two story house. Bee's entering bottom window in top right corner and entering window directly above that one on the second story in the bottom right corner. Older farm house, what's the chances of it being two separate colonies or just one? I wanted to just seal the top entrance and trap the bottom. The home owners are going to remove siding and clean everything out, once the bee's are gone. How long do I leave it too be sure the majority of bee's are out?

The next is in a oak tree, the entrance is ground level, the tree can probably be cut down. Do I do a trap-out and get most of the bee's, then cut the tree down to get remaining bee's. Or, trap for a week, take those bee's, requeen that hive and let the tree build back up? Or any other suggestions? Thank you

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djei5

· #2 · May 3, 2014 (Edited)

If the home owners are going to remove siding and clean, it would be incredibly simpler for you to just remove the siding and do a cut out.
That way you salvage most of the comb, brood, stores, and the queen. (In one afternoon)
If they want the tree gone, ditto. If they dont, do a Hogan Trapout and you may get the queen, but its at least three weeks on that venture.
If you just trap foragers for a week, most of your bees are middle aged already...

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Cleo C. Hogan Jr

· #3 · May 3, 2014

djei5 said:
If you just trap foragers for a week, most of your bees are middle aged already...

If you do a trapout with my instructions, you are not trapping "just foragers" for a week. In fact, at the end of the third day, you should have 3 to 8 pounds of bees in your trap, and these bees will be the mix you need for making a new start, specifically, nurse bees, housekeepers, guard bees, cleaners, fanners, drones, and possibly the queen. By removing these bees, you have started to weaken the colony to the point it cannot sustain itself. Within three more days you take the second bunch of bees away and you have really weakened the colony. Then two weeks to get all the stragglers.

cchoganjr

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queenbee3074

Discussion Starter · #4 · May 3, 2014

djei5, I don't think the homeowner wants to be cutting and removing siding with all the bee's still there. I'm not comfortable doing it myself that far up ( at least too the second story window ), off of an extention ladder. I was going to go back when he does remove siding and cut all the comb out.

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djei5

· #5 · May 3, 2014

queenbee3074 said:
djei5, I don't think the homeowner wants to be cutting and removing siding with all the bee's still there. I'm not comfortable doing it myself that far up ( at least too the second story window ), off of an extention ladder. I was going to go back when he does remove siding and cut all the comb out.

Sounds like your in for some good times nonetheless, if I were close I'd come help;-)

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Mr.Beeman

· #6 · May 3, 2014

The queen can be the last to leave and that's not guaranteed. I had trapouts last a month or longer and still no sign of the queen. We had to remove her physically from the tree which was slated to be removed anyhow.

Sounds like two seperate colonies in the farm house.

We have performed cutouts to that height before. Scaffolding to rent is pretty cheap and quite easy to work from.

My suggestion in a word.... cutouts.

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