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The bad news is that that was just the first attempt, they'll try again later.
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GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Re: Swarm Catching
« Last post by Terri Yaki on Today at 05:26:33 am »
Gongrats, Occam, hope they treat you well.
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👍🏻
Thumbs up!
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GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Re: Swarm Catching
« Last post by Ben Framed on Today at 01:34:37 am »
The first trap I hung and baited in my parents backyard had plenty of bee smelling stuff in there... melted down moth infested beeswax slathered over the interior. Propolis warmed to stickiness and rubbed around. Pippette with a small amount of lemon grass oil.  Box had bees all over it the next day Match 11th and has had consistent bee activity every day with good weather. About 12:30 today the bees decided to move in. I got the call from my parents "there are so many bees flying everywhere,  thousands!" haha. I told them to enjoy the show while they ate their lunch. My dad decided to get close to get some pictures and video.

Great preparation and awesome catch! Congratulation on your earned success!!!

Phillip
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Agreed. However it's the state ag department that did this, it's an unelected agency as far as I understand. But they need to vote people in that will fight for them against overreach
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Quote
But I'm wondering if I understand the space issue correctly. I thought it was mainly an issue of being able to keep warm enough, but maybe there are other reasons
It is also about the fact that the bees have to be able to patrol and defend the space when they are not clustered. A package starts out in a state of severe disadvantage. They have no food, no comb, and many times not even a queen they know or who is even related to them. This makes them very vulnerable, and if they have too much space too soon, it can simply be overwhelming for them to try manage everything they need to do to make the space a functioning nest.
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> The good news is the state backed down and reverse course on the CAFO  definition and regulation after public outcry and support of the farmers.

Good and in my opinion, the good people of the State should remember what these officials tried to pull, making sure to vote them out next election. ,
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GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Re: Swarm Catching
« Last post by Occam on Today at 01:07:46 am »
The first trap I hung and baited in my parents backyard had plenty of bee smelling stuff in there... melted down moth infested beeswax slathered over the interior. Propolis warmed to stickiness and rubbed around. Pippette with a small amount of lemon grass oil.  Box had bees all over it the next day Match 11th and has had consistent bee activity every day with good weather. About 12:30 today the bees decided to move in. I got the call from my parents "there are so many bees flying everywhere,  thousands!" haha. I told them to enjoy the show while they ate their lunch. My dad decided to get close to get some pictures and video.
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With both screen bottom boards and foundationless frames, thats way too much empty space.  Not having any foundation there's nothing to anchor them to the hive.  Remove the screen bottom boards and add frames with foundation or add a dummy board to reduce the area.  Your colonies will struggle to get going if you dont decrease the area in the hive body.  The next time you install packages cut the screen open and dump the bees onto the queen cage or place the queen cage below the inner cover hole, add another hive body and place the hole of the package over the inner cover.  The next day take out the package cage and add feed.
Thanks for the suggestions!
The screened bottom has a pan under it, so it's 1" extra space below.
In #1 the bees were hanging on the middle frames (with starter strips) covering what would be 3 full frames and the equivalent of the inner side of the next frames.

In #3, the bees are in a similar arrangement, but covering the equivalent of 4 frames plus the inner side of the next frames. (I'm describing as though there were foundation. That's what it *looks* like.)

I hope not to have to install packages again, but if I do, I'll surely follow your suggestion!

And yes, I'll put a dummy board in #2. It will be hubby's task to build it tomorrow! The other two packages seem to be developing into a real colony. They go out and forage. Some come back with pollen.

All three packages were installed in 10-frame mediums with frames with starter strips.

But I'm wondering if I understand the space issue correctly. I thought it was mainly an issue of being able to keep warm enough, but maybe there are other reasons?
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