Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => HONEYBEE REMOVAL => Topic started by: Dan163 on July 27, 2007, 12:58:29 pm

Title: Removal by trapping: Question about queens
Post by: Dan163 on July 27, 2007, 12:58:29 pm

My bee-mentor and I are doing our first ever removal from a chimney on a house and are trapping the bees out. (I think that's what you call it here -- using a mesh cone over the entrance and a bait hive.)

The bees are raising new queens in the bait hive and there is still a large colony inside the chimney.  Should we be removing the new queen cells?  Or do we want the bait hive to become queenright?

Apologies if this is addressed somewhere else... I did have a darned good look around before posting this, but couldn't find anything definitive.

Thanks,
Dan

Title: Re: Removal by trapping: Question about queens
Post by: Robo on July 27, 2007, 02:37:18 pm

Some will say they have had luck getting a queen to come out when trapping.   I have never had one come out.  I have even poured "honey robber"  into the nest without success.   Anytime I have tried a trap-out without a lure queen,  I have ended up with a laying worker.   Unless there is a real need to get the queen (for genetics, etc.) I would get the trap hive queen right as soon as possible and build it's strength so it can easily kill off  and rob out the original nest.

Just my 2 cents.

Title: Re: Removal by trapping: Question about queens
Post by: Dan163 on July 27, 2007, 09:07:39 pm

Thanks.  I am sure that your two cents worth is worth a lot more than my two cents worth! :)

Removal photos -> http://picasaweb.google.com/kbcroke/BEES