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Author Topic: gonna try to trap a tree out  (Read 13354 times)

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Gypsi

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Re: gonna try to trap a tree out
« Reply #20 on: September 19, 2014, 01:14:26 pm »
No SHB. Actually the tree hive was taken over by 2 idiots spraying soapy water in it because it wasn't an easy to catch swarm, and they destroyed most of the comb and brood. Then I took the grandbaby home and could finally call the home over, I've salvaged what I could.  Karma will have to catch up with them.  I am going to check this morning. I have a fresh queen with attendants.  I can't let the virgin live, she stands no chance of mating whatsoever, we go from 100's to 60's and the drones get thrown out...  A mated queen will make it through the winter.
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Gypsi

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Re: gonna try to trap a tree out
« Reply #21 on: September 19, 2014, 05:03:07 pm »
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Offline Jen

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Re: gonna try to trap a tree out
« Reply #22 on: September 19, 2014, 05:09:55 pm »
If it were a laying worker those would look like drone cells right?
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Gypsi

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Re: gonna try to trap a tree out
« Reply #23 on: September 19, 2014, 05:11:56 pm »
yes.  Do they look like drone cells to you?
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Offline Jen

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Re: gonna try to trap a tree out
« Reply #24 on: September 19, 2014, 05:38:38 pm »
Not to me, not in this pic anyway, the caps would be sticking out like bullet heads if these were drone cells. Would maybe be better to see a pic of the whole face of the frame. Then we could determine how many worker bee cells and drone cells.
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Gypsi

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Re: gonna try to trap a tree out
« Reply #25 on: September 19, 2014, 05:41:37 pm »
most of the frame is empty foundation. The bees built a couple of patches of comb for her to lay in, and I was shooting one handed, mid air, over the hive so I didn't drop anyone. Capped brood top left, eggs below, bottom right uncapped brood.  The other pics were blurry
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Offline iddee

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Re: gonna try to trap a tree out
« Reply #26 on: September 19, 2014, 07:00:46 pm »
Queen laid eggs. Could be drones or workers, but not laid by workers. More pics in a week, please.
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Gypsi

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Re: gonna try to trap a tree out
« Reply #27 on: September 19, 2014, 07:32:19 pm »
may not be able to do more pics. Swapping the hive for help getting it off the guy's property, but to a semi experienced new beek.  If he sends me pics I will forward them.
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Offline iddee

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Re: gonna try to trap a tree out
« Reply #28 on: September 19, 2014, 09:47:24 pm »
Get him on the forum, and tell him to post them.
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“Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.”
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Gypsi

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Re: gonna try to trap a tree out
« Reply #29 on: September 19, 2014, 11:17:20 pm »
Sending him a link right now.  He will need help and advice and I'm sending him here. We NEED beeks in their 20's and 30's to get good advice and support
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Offline ledifni

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Re: gonna try to trap a tree out
« Reply #30 on: September 19, 2014, 11:32:01 pm »
Hi guys :)  I'm the newbie that got the bees, and thank you gypsi.  I'm keeping them wrapped up for now, but I can post some pics tomorrow.  Wish me luck :)  It's been 20 years (since I was about 12) since I had any hives...so I'm rusty but incredibly excited about it.  Any advice is always welcome of course.
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Offline Jen

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Re: gonna try to trap a tree out
« Reply #31 on: September 19, 2014, 11:37:44 pm »
Hi ledifni  :)  You will get plenty of good sound advice here. Fun place to take a break everday  ;)
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Offline riverbee

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Re: gonna try to trap a tree out
« Reply #32 on: September 20, 2014, 12:06:29 am »
ledifni....
looking forward to your pix! and again WELCOME!!!!!!
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Offline ledifni

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Re: gonna try to trap a tree out
« Reply #33 on: September 27, 2014, 01:42:17 pm »
New hive laid out:


Before you ask, yes, I did paint this hive.  I used a clear sealant to preserve the natural wood look :)  I like it better that way.

The original nuc, still closed:


Now open.  These bees were quite gentle.  They occasionally expressed their displeasure (loudly), but no actual stings even on the suit or gloves.  Just some buzzing and complaining.  I just used a tiny bit of smoke when I first opened it -- didn't need any after that.


All but one frame now in the new hive:


Finished!  All the frames are in the new hive, then I just had to dump bees out of the empty nuc so I could move it away.


Some pictures of comb.  The first one is egg cells, but I'm a terrible photographer when I'm carrying a frame and I took it at a bad angle -- sorry.  In the second one, though, you can see capped brood and several open cells with larvae.




And...the closed up hive.  Ain't she pretty :D







Thank you Gypsi!  Very excited.  Wish me luck wintering these bees.  Fortunately Texas has very light winters so I have high hopes for them.
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Offline Jen

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Re: gonna try to trap a tree out
« Reply #34 on: September 27, 2014, 03:08:44 pm »
Nice pics and happy for you Ledifni! Looking forward to watching this hive make thru the winter, grow and prosper  :eusa_clap:

   Might I give you a word of advice? At some point before you close up the hive for winter, you should probably gently scrape off the wonky comb so that the frames fit snuggly together. Then, when they are all back in the hive, push them together towards the center. There will be some gap between the wall of the hive and the frames. If you don't, your hive could be a mess of gnarly comb to sort out, and the bees don't like that in the spring.


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Offline ledifni

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Re: gonna try to trap a tree out
« Reply #35 on: September 27, 2014, 03:42:30 pm »
I very much want to hear advice and thank you :)

Yes, there's at least one frame that is very wonky (and wide)...I was actually thinking about that as I placed it in the hive. I was worried that I might damage brood comb, and since they really aren't well-prepared for winter I'm afraid to kill any brood at all (our ruin honey for that matter). My thought is, which will hurt them more, destroying comb now or making them mad in spring?

To be honest I don't know the answer to that question. Be happy to hear what you guys think :)
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Offline Jen

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Re: gonna try to trap a tree out
« Reply #36 on: September 27, 2014, 03:57:13 pm »
Mkay Led, I got on this forum in January. And as I took lots of pics and posted them, these fine mentors helped me get my hives back into good shape. Wonky comb everywhere! I didn't think about it to much until they told me the danger points.

The first thing I was taught about wonky or bulging comb, is that when you slowly pull up your frames, or slowly lower them back into position in the hive box...  you could easily roll and kill the queen. This kind of comb it too tight of a fit. And you wouldn't even know it until the next time you do an inspection. That is a sad thing to happen to a hive.

It's scary at first scraping off that bulging comb or comb hanging from the lid.. but it has to be done. And it's going to feel like and look like armageddon during the process. Have Gypsi with you if you need.

Give this hive a week or so to get settled down, then go in and start cleaning up the frames with weird comb.

Then, when your done with that process push the frames snuggly together towards the center. This way they don't have room to build wonky comb. It will be so much easier in the spring when you go in and lift up your frames   :)
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Offline ledifni

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Re: gonna try to trap a tree out
« Reply #37 on: September 27, 2014, 04:40:06 pm »
Yeah I see your point.  As long as you don't think it will unduly harm my ladies, I'll go ahead and do it next time I open them (next week sometime).  I have beetle sheets to put in and I may replace those outer medium frames with deep frames since I'll have some by then...but not if they've already got that comb drawn out.  If they have, then I'll just let them build off the bottoms of those frames for now I think.
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Offline iddee

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Re: gonna try to trap a tree out
« Reply #38 on: September 27, 2014, 04:59:16 pm »
Each time you go into the hive, push the frames together enough that you have 1/4 inch between the combs or a bit less. The next time in, the bees will have opened the space up. Do it again then. There's no need for you to trim comb from the frame. They will do it for you.
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“Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.”
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Offline riverbee

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Re: gonna try to trap a tree out
« Reply #39 on: September 27, 2014, 10:34:02 pm »
great pix ledifini! and i do wish you luck for overwintering!  you will do just fine.  btw she is purty!........... :D
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