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Author Topic: Question on Demolition bees  (Read 2381 times)

Offline MarkT

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Question on Demolition bees
« on: July 30, 2014, 09:47:15 pm »
I was called to a demolition site to retrieve a colony of bees, when I arrived the wall that they were in was knocked down, and the combs were lying against one another, honey everywhere lots of bees robbing.Very gentel and calm, no vail needed. I went through all the comb, found a small patch of eggs and larva, no capped brood, and a chewed out queen cell, but no live queen. I placed the comb with the eggs in a hive body, thinking the bees would follow it in, but no luck. I left the box next to the dammag ed wall, and came home, when I left there were two camps of bees, one on the wall next to my box, with a handfull inside, no fanning, and another clump( mean nasty bunch) way high up on the remaining wall. My thoughts are dead queen homeless bees, dead brood.Heard once that homeless bees will migrate to a queen right hive, so was thinking of taking a caged queen and placing her in the box to see if they would join??  any thoughts, suggestions,   Thanks   Mark

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Question on Demolition bees
« Reply #1 on: July 30, 2014, 10:55:40 pm »
I was called to a demolition site to retrieve a colony of bees, when I arrived the wall that they were in was knocked down, and the combs were lying against one another, honey everywhere lots of bees robbing.Very gentel and calm, no vail needed. I went through all the comb, found a small patch of eggs and larva, no capped brood, and a chewed out queen cell, but no live queen. I placed the comb with the eggs in a hive body, thinking the bees would follow it in, but no luck. I left the box next to the dammag ed wall, and came home, when I left there were two camps of bees, one on the wall next to my box, with a handfull inside, no fanning, and another clump( mean nasty bunch) way high up on the remaining wall. My thoughts are dead queen homeless bees, dead brood.Heard once that homeless bees will migrate to a queen right hive, so was thinking of taking a caged queen and placing her in the box to see if they would join??  any thoughts, suggestions,   Thanks   Mark
That might work. I would also take a Q tip, wipe it on the outside of your used lemon oil bottle so that I picks up a little bit of LGO residue and place the Q tip at the entrance (just outside) of the hive. This simulates the bees calling every one to your hive box. It works pretty well but you do not want more than a hint of LGO. I also save queens and even virgin queens in alcohol. Pick one out and put it in the hive. Works really well with the hint of LGO.
Jim

Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Offline MarkT

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Re: Question on Demolition bees
« Reply #2 on: July 31, 2014, 10:42:20 pm »
 :)  Just picked them up tonight, placing the queen in collected all the stray bees, worked great. 

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Question on Demolition bees
« Reply #3 on: July 31, 2014, 10:51:29 pm »
:)  Just picked them up tonight, placing the queen in collected all the stray bees, worked great. 
Way to go.
Jim
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Offline buzzbee

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Re: Question on Demolition bees
« Reply #4 on: August 06, 2014, 06:37:38 pm »
Good Job! :)

 

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