Canning trap-out.

[Perry]

I got a call from a fellow out in Canning about 15 minutes away. I remember going there last year and advising him to let them be for the winter (it was late) and that his bee problem may go away if they died. They have been in there for about 10 years according to the owner.
Apparently they survived yet again so I am off to try and take care of them.







A cut-out is far too invasive for this job, plus I would have to destroy all the Wisteria growing on the house. He agreed to a trap-out. I had to get up on the backside of the roof and push as much Wisteria out of the way to locate the entrance. It really isn't a job I can do hanging over the edge properly so I went up today and selectively pruned and moved some branches to allow me in there. I found the main entrance.





I then caulked up everything else I thought they may be using. I just left the "main" entrance.







I adjusted and trimmed the cone to fit but decided to hold off till tomorrow when I can take a frame of brood with me. I left a deep sitting on the backside of the roof that I will hang over the edge with wire once the cone is in place.
It would be a lot easier if there were 2 of us.

[blueblood]

Nice. Will be a tight one before winter huh?

[Lburou]

Trap outs like that are essentially an IQ test.  You are doing well Perry, wish I could help. 

[apisbees]

Shingle siding on an old building, pre plywood and dry-kiln era. The lumber sheathing will have shrunk causing travel gaps most likely running at 45 deg. Then with the shingles and the gaps between them I think it may take a few trips before you get all the holes sealed up.  I hope it goes well but it looks like it may be a pain.

[Wandering Man]

This will be interesting to follow.

Great photos.

[neillsayers]

Pulling up a folding chair.

[Perry]

It is late in the beekeeping year to expect much of this to build up strong enough, but nothing ventured nothing gained. I can always give a major boost to something else.
I have to agree, this place is going to be like Swiss cheese there are so many possible entrances. I will do what I can and hope for the best. Once I am done I will pull all the Wisteria back up to cover my handiwork.

[Perry]

OK, more pictures!
Got the cone in place, then went up on the roof to lower the catch box into place. I decided to hang it by wire against the house as putting a bracket in to support the box was not possible. Bees started pouring out the cone and I had to be quick getting the box in place. I dropped in a frame of open brood and closed it up. Bees were exiting and flying around, trying to find another way in, but some already found the brood, so I hope it's just a matter of time before they all do.













The only bad thing that happened was as I left I got about 5 miles down the road and my truck quit. $85 to have it towed to the shop! 
Hope it's nothing serious. I just got a cheque too, nature abhors a vacuum (like a bank account that actually had some money in it).

[tedh]

Is there a flow going on up there Perry?  I ask because of a trapout I "tried" last year at this time.  There was a dearth and when I checked a few days later the brood was dead, the stores on that frame were gone, the bottom of the catch box was full of dead bees with yellow jackets coming and going like they owned the place.  Which they did.  Good luck!

Sorry to hear about the truck.  The Galactic Bean Counter had his eye on your acccount.  Ted

[Perry]

Update:
I went back after sealing up all the leaks (took me 3 trips) and I wasn't sure if the brood and eggs were still viable, but I guess enough bees stayed in the catch box cause I found about a dozen capped queen cells. I closed things up and went and checked a couple days ago, and there were no bees coming out of the cone, and the queen cells were either hatched or chewed through the sides. I quickly checked to see if I could spot a virgin queen but with no luck (way up on a ladder doesn't make for comfortable perusing).
I am surprised by the small amount of bees actually. When I first scoped it out there were 100's of bees flying around, and yet now that the cone seems to have done it's thing, there only seems to be maybe a half dozen frames of bees at best.
No matter, once I find eggs I will seal up the entrance and combine this with something. If no eggs in another week, same story.

[Jen]

Very interesting story Perry, what a nice job you did, everything nice and tidy.

[LazyBkpr]

Did the queen abscond early and take a lot of the bees with her?   Awesome trap out. Sometimes outsmarting bees can be difficult for someone of my IQ!

[Lburou]

It still looks like fun.