Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: annette on April 07, 2009, 12:53:23 am
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I know there have been many, many posts here, but I need more answers.
OK there is this cutout in Sutter Creek in the side of an old shed. The owners do not care about the shed at all. They told us (Ray and I) the outer wall is being held up with 3 screws. After removing the plywood wall what happens next???
OK I am looking at a wall of bees and comb and what is the first step??
What equipment do I need to bring with me to the site???
Please be as detailed as possible.
I can't get this hive out of my mind and I know the owners will kill them if they are not taken out.
Please give me a step by step description of what to do.
Thanks
Annette
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Annette, I have a link to someone's blog, detailing a cutout much like yours -- in a shed that would soon be torn down. I can't post the link, though, because I haven't been in the forums long enough. Just google: "Tanglewood Hollow cutout", you should find it that way! Cheers!
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I will check this out, Thanks
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I'm envious. If I lived anywhere close to you, I'd do that cutout in a heartbeat!!
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in the removal section there is a list of things to take, and some pretty detailed descriptions of cutouts. lots of pictures also.
i'm sure everyone does it differently and what you find will make some difference. i'll tell you what i do, but there are masters on here and i am just a grasshopper :-).
take the time to set up your equipment. make sure your hive is ready, lay down your tarp, make sure all your tools are handy.
the first thing i do when i take off a wall section like that is look at the piece i have removed. often comb is stuck to it and a couple of times i have found the queen there. it's important to remove this piece gently if you can. don't just toss it aside.
when you look at the hive, the comb will probably be vertical and between studs. often the outside comb will be empty. it may be full of honey. i use a sturdy paint scraper to pry this loose. honey goes in the honey bucket. empty comb goes in the comb bucket or on the tarp. the center combs will have the bees, brood, and probably queen. using that same scraper, or a clean one if the 1st is really gunky, i just gently grasp the comb and cut it loose. if it's brood, it gets banded into frames and set in hive. if it's not brood, i set it beside the hive, or even on the top if i'm almost done so the bees will be able to go in easily. if you can find the queen and get her into the hive, the bees will start settling in. if you don't see her, don't worry. she's probably on that brood somewhere.
a bee brush and dust pan are handy to sweep up the bees that don't want to co-operate.
it's pretty messy. you'll end up taking a bath in honey and you'll kill a lot of bees. the first time is hard. after that, you realize it's not so different than an inspection in your own hive, except you have to handle them more.
i think the most important thing is to take your time and be methodical. try to have a bit of a mental plan before you start. read through the removal section and the equipment sticky.
one more thing. twice in outbuildings i have found that the hive became two. now i always take an extra super setup. don't forget the straps or staples.
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OH this is good stuff Kathy. I will also check out the other posts you mentioned. I have printed out your post and will calmly read it.
Thanks
Annette
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Oh my, can I watch Annette? This should be fun!
Not much room to work at all on this one.
Not screwed, is nailed sheet of plywood.
nailed to studs that are 24 inches on center.
hive is aproximately 2 feet by 4 feet between two studs.
I'd take a nail puller and pull the nails, then pry the plywood back with a wonder bar.
Make sure you're suited up!
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The first thing is to apply some smoke to the hive before you cut, pry or pull nails.
Have all of your tools handy and don't forget the most important tool of all, a bucket of water to wash honey off your tools. Hot water works best.
Like Kathy mentioned, go slowly, always on the look out for the queen.
Remove honey sections first and get them out of the way, put some in the hive on the end frames.
A bee vac really comes in handy on a hive with terrific numbers.
Have your camera ready and take lots of pics.
Generally speaking, the bees will be the most wound up while you are accessing the void space.
After you have opened the wall and completely exposed the hive they begin to settle down.
Work from the outside in.
The first couple or so there is that learning curve you have to bypass, after that it starts to make sense.
Try not to get overwhelmed, if you do, take a little break and go back in refreshed.
Have fun and try not to break any nails.
...JP ;)
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JP says......"Work from the outside in."
I want to emphasize and expand on that.
When you begin removing the comb, most times the queen will run to the next comb. Eventually, at the end, she will slip into a crevice and you never find her. What JP is saying is remove all the outside comb first, working toward the middle. She will continue to run toward the center, rather than the outside. She doesn't like to cross open areas. When you have only two or three combs left in the center of the brood nest, stop and take a break. As the bees regroup, you will know if you got the queen by where most of them congregate. If they work toward the box, you have her. If they work toward the building, she will return to those two or three combs.
Since I started using that method, my queen success has jumped from about 30% to about 95%.
JP likes to work from the exterior of the building, I like to work from the interior. Both work well, so you can look at both ways and decide which is better for each job you go on.
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Wow, you are getting lots of good information here Annette. I hope you go for this cutout. Bring someone with you for moral support and its even better if they are knowledgeable as well for technical support.
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OK really good information on this. I thank you all very much.
Will let you all know which direction this will go. I really feel I can do this, but I am having extreme fears. Would love to have moral support, but we shall see.
Annette
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Oh my, can I watch Annette? This should be fun!
Not much room to work at all on this one.
Not screwed, is nailed sheet of plywood.
nailed to studs that are 24 inches on center.
hive is aproximately 2 feet by 4 feet between two studs.
I'd take a nail puller and pull the nails, then pry the plywood back with a wonder bar.
Make sure you're suited up!
I don't think you could sit back and watch if you wanted to. I'll contact you later on this.
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take a designated driver and a bottle of tequila :evil:
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Wish I had you over here Kathy
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i am not a good DD :-).
you will be fine.
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Oh my, can I watch Annette? This should be fun!
Not much room to work at all on this one.
Not screwed, is nailed sheet of plywood.
nailed to studs that are 24 inches on center.
hive is aproximately 2 feet by 4 feet between two studs.
I'd take a nail puller and pull the nails, then pry the plywood back with a wonder bar.
Make sure you're suited up!
I don't think you could sit back and watch if you wanted to. I'll contact you later on this.
I think you're right Annette, I luv to get my own fingers in the pie!
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Send me and JP round trip tickets and we'll be right there. :shock: :)
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Annette: I would love to try this. You have a real opportunity here to learn and grow in your art. Best of luck, but reagrdless of the result, see this learning experience as the jewel that it is.
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OK really good information on this. I thank you all very much.
Will let you all know which direction this will go. I really feel I can do this, but I am having extreme fears. Would love to have moral support, but we shall see.
Annette
Annette, the extreme fears are all in your head my dear.
If you are properly prepared and properly protected, what's the worst thing that can happen?
If at any point you get overwhelmed, just take a break and regroup.
You CAN do this.
...JP
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i have an attic to do on Saturday. i'll trade you my attic for your outbuilding :-)
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I did a nasty cutout last month...BRING A SPRAY BOTTLE OF SUGAR WATER...they love it...
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i have an attic to do on Saturday. i'll trade you my attic for your outbuilding :-)
Here's one I did yesterday, I would trade for the attic one. (http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/857/cimg3932q.th.jpg) (http://img5.imageshack.us/my.php?image=cimg3932q.jpg)
(http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/6214/cimg3935z.th.jpg) (http://img5.imageshack.us/my.php?image=cimg3935z.jpg)
They were in a crawl space, between a sill and a joist and adjacent to a partition wall.
The sill had a gap 3' long between it and the subfloor. I could barely squeeze my hand into one end of the gap, but couldn't close my hand in the gap.
I used my knife to remove what I could, beequick did the rest. Set up nuc and will check this morning, may have even gotten the queen, but got two capped swarm cells, so maybe they'll make it.
(http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/9318/cimg3937l.th.jpg) (http://img11.imageshack.us/my.php?image=cimg3937l.jpg)
Annette, these types are rare, stick with the ones that are in a wall space with an exterior you can remove, or panneling interior.
...JP
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Anyway thanks all for the information. I don't want to sound wimpy, but I really do not want to do this alone the first time. I am looking around to see if I can find either someone to totally take on this job, or at least be with me. I have sent out some e mails to members of the Sacramento Beekeeping Association to see if anyone is willing to help.
I thank you all for the helpful information.
Annette
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i am coming down the end of next month i think. can it wait?
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i am coming down the end of next month i think. can it wait?
Sending you a PM Kathy.
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Kathy offered to help me with this, which is unbelievable. I have PM'd her about it.
But in the meantime I received an email from a guy who lives in Sacramento who teaches beekeeping at the Waldorf School in SF. He definitely wants to go and get those bees. He teaches natural beekeeping something called Biodynamics?? Anyway he is extremely enthusiastic and I am going to meet him there and help and learn.
It will be happening in 2 weeks time. I will keep you all posted.
Annette
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TAKE PICTURES!!! :-)