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Author Topic: Removing bees from a pine tree  (Read 5600 times)

Offline KD4MOJ

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Removing bees from a pine tree
« on: June 04, 2014, 11:07:18 am »

Someone called me the other day while I was at work about "bees in a tree". Went over to check them out at lunch and they were in a pine tree (inside) about 4 feet up. The opening was an kind of like a small flat oval about 8-10 inches in diameter (sorry didn't have a camera with me)  and they were zipping in and out of some crevices about a foot inside the tree. Can't see any comb or a way to get to any except possibly pulling out dead wood inside the tree.

So anyway to trap them out? No way to get to the queen...

...DOUG
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Offline KD4MOJ

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Re: Removing bees from a pine tree
« Reply #1 on: June 04, 2014, 04:49:11 pm »
I think I just answered my question by viewing some sites that did trapouts with big holes in the tree. Just need more screen to cover around the hole! DUH!

...DOUG
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Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Removing bees from a pine tree
« Reply #2 on: June 04, 2014, 09:15:22 pm »
Doug,
I just did a tree Trapout not too long ago. I had a piece of OSB that was a little bit bigger than the opening. Drilled a 3/4 hole in it and stapled a plastic bee escape over the hole. The escape is the one that goes in the oval opening of an inner board. I screwed the board and escape to the tree and used liquid nails to seal it up.
I made a platform that I screwed to the tree and sat the nuc on the platform. Worked real well. Be sure to place a frame of eggs in the nuc. The bees move right in.
Good luck.
Jim
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Offline RC

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Re: Removing bees from a pine tree
« Reply #3 on: June 04, 2014, 09:39:51 pm »
How long did it take to get them, Jim? Did you get the queen?
I have a hive between two brick walls, no way to get them except a trap out.

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Removing bees from a pine tree
« Reply #4 on: June 04, 2014, 11:05:22 pm »
How long did it take to get them, Jim? Did you get the queen?
I have a hive between two brick walls, no way to get them except a trap out.
It took about 4 weeks. The home owner was pushing to get it done. The bees stopped coming out and I sealed it up. The next one that I did, I waited another week after they stopped coming out and the night I was going over there to pick it up and seal it up, the queen swarmed out with the remainder of the hive into the nuc box an hour before sunset. Not shore which queen survived. I suspect it was the new queen in the box not the original queen.
Jim
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Offline KD4MOJ

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Re: Removing bees from a pine tree
« Reply #5 on: June 05, 2014, 09:32:33 am »
Interesting... bee escape. Never thought of that... I wonder if it works as well as the cones seem to do? I'm trying to locate some 1/8" hardware cloth in town. I figured that I'm going to need the board and cloth around the board to be able to seal up the opening since the opening and surrounding wood is irregular.

Made a call this morning to talk with the city electric arborist about the tree since the home owner had scheduled them take a look at it... and he put me on his "bee list" for swarms and such. He said he didn't have much luck with others on the list and he would put me on the top! nice gent!

 
...DOUG
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Offline iddee

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Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Removing bees from a pine tree
« Reply #7 on: June 05, 2014, 12:53:10 pm »
Interesting... bee escape. Never thought of that... I wonder if it works as well as the cones seem to do? I'm trying to locate some 1/8" hardware cloth in town. I figured that I'm going to need the board and cloth around the board to be able to seal up the opening since the opening and surrounding wood is irregular.

Made a call this morning to talk with the city electric arborist about the tree since the home owner had scheduled them take a look at it... and he put me on his "bee list" for swarms and such. He said he didn't have much luck with others on the list and he would put me on the top! nice gent!

 
...DOUG
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They work better. The bees can come out but cannot go in like they can with the cone. They are much smaller and are very easy to attach to a board that fits the size of the hole. If you use a thin board you can make it bend to the shape of the tree with a few screws. The next time I am going to try using corrugated plastic sign board they use for elections.
Jim
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Offline richter1978

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Re: Removing bees from a pine tree
« Reply #8 on: June 06, 2014, 07:27:17 am »
KD4MOJ,
   I have had success using the "Hogan style" trap-out.  You get the bees to leave thru the hive.  Anyway, do a search and check it out, its a good way to get the queen too.

Offline KD4MOJ

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Re: Removing bees from a pine tree
« Reply #9 on: June 06, 2014, 11:25:46 am »
KD4MOJ,
   I have had success using the "Hogan style" trap-out.  You get the bees to leave thru the hive.  Anyway, do a search and check it out, its a good way to get the queen too.

Interesting concept! I'll have to do some further reading.

On a side note, a local furniture store just called and said they have 2 swarms on their loading dock. Told him after work I would stop by... and I think that he was hoping sooner!  :-D

...DOUG
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Offline jayj200

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Re: Removing bees from a pine tree
« Reply #10 on: August 17, 2014, 10:37:52 am »
Jim
could one substitute aluminum window screen for the #8 hardware cloth?
 

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Removing bees from a pine tree
« Reply #11 on: August 17, 2014, 03:24:55 pm »
Jim
could one substitute aluminum window screen for the #8 hardware cloth?
 
The only difference from what I have read is the stiffness of the number 8 and making it hold the proper shape.
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

 

anything