# Just went to scope-out hive underneath a mobile home for soon-to-be cut-out



## PatBeek (Jan 13, 2012)

.

So the other day a gentleman called me who oversees a retirement mobile home park here in Lakeland, FL. 

Me and a buddy already removed some bees over a year ago from this neighborhood, but I believe I'll be going this one alone.

Today I stopped by to take photos/scope-out what I'll be dealing with. 

Here are the photos thus far from my reconnaissance mission:

Not too sure how far they go back, but I doubt it's too far. This is right on the bottom edge of a mobile home - of course underneath the home.

Any suggestions or comments besides just getting under there with a knife and cutting them out and clipping them on my top bars that have hair-clips pre-attached?


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## shannonswyatt (May 7, 2012)

Wow, this looks like a fairly new hive based on the color of the comb. You guys get early swarms. 

I'm a fan of TBHs, but I would recommend that you do this cutout into a Lang. The problem with the hair clips is that it won't work well with fresh comb, it is just too soft. Plus with the hair clips you end up not being able to close the top tight since the zip ties will be in the way on the sides of the top bars (you could do little cut-outs on the bars for the zip ties to get rid of the gap though). You could make frames for a TBH cut-in, but it is easier to just use Lang frames and rubber bands. 

I assume those strings are what is holding the insulation up there. If you cut it will all of the insulation come failing down?


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## PatBeek (Jan 13, 2012)

shannonswyatt said:


> I assume those strings are what is holding the insulation up there. If you cut it will all of the insulation come failing down?


Yes, that's part of some material that holds the insulation up. The maintenance guy gave me permission to cut-n-slash as much stuff underneath there to be able to get to whatever I need. He'll do any repairs that may be needed afterwards.

As far as placing the comb in a Lang - well - I don't have any Lang equipment yet. I only have that hippie top-bar stuff thus far. 

But yes, I understand about the gaps. I may also use the hardware cloth that gets shaped into an L that have the ends sticking out like a fork where you can just stab the comb onto it. It has a very low profile. Hmmmm, I'm glad you reminded me of that. I'll look into going that route as opposed to the tie-wraps/hair-clips.

If anyone is curious about the hardware cloth being manipulated into a top bar comb-holder, let me know. I'll dig up some previous discussions about it somewhere. I haven't tried it yet personally, but just might.


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## shannonswyatt (May 7, 2012)

No clean up! Nice!

Yes, you will probably have better luck with hardware cloth as you can have a long piece on each bar giving more attachment points to the comb.


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## PatBeek (Jan 13, 2012)

.

Any suggestions for having to lay down while doing a cut-out?

I am going to bundle-up pretty good with several layers, but I just am concerned about being semi-vulnerable laying down. I'm just being a baby, I suppose, but I have some sort of fear like I'll be in a Gulliver-type situation while they have me on the ground.....but at least it looks as though this hive doesn't extend too far back at all. I'm hoping it's all right up front. However, the top pic I posted, if you look at the bottom left, those bees seem to extend fairly far back into the insulation holder.

.


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## b2bnz (Apr 5, 2009)

I have a bee vac and when I do cut outs I vac all the bees off the comb first and then can take my time removing the comb, separating the honey comb from the brood comb, attaching just the brood comb to the top bars and then reintroducing the bees back to their own brood. Works a treat!


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## shannonswyatt (May 7, 2012)

Well, at least you don't have to worry about falling off a ladder. As long as it is at least 18 inches off the ground from the bottom of the hive it should be fairly easy to do as far as getting to the comb. Suit up and you should be fine. I would bring something to lay down on like a tarp. It is nice if you can get a second person to attach the comb to the bars as you are cutting it out.


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## shannonswyatt (May 7, 2012)

+1 on the bee vac!


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## Mtedcarr4 (May 20, 2010)

I have used 1' hex chicken wire for a top bar cut out . I had stapled it to 1 side & would bend it over the bottom of comb.. If I were to do it again, I would use a top bar with spacers on each end , make sure the total of all 3 would be between 1 1/4' or 1 3/8' ,then fold a piece of chicken wire twice the depth of my TBH in half ,put comb inside half place top bar on top of comb , staple or air nail the spacers to the side of top bar < & finaly place in hive . It will be hard (or impossible)to catch the bees with the comb . Just remove the comb first then brush the ball of bees in hive or use bee Vac. Just go after worker brood. Harvest or scrap the rest.


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## shannonswyatt (May 7, 2012)

Interesting. So you are saying to use narrow bars and then use a thin spacer to hold the chicken wire in place (I think!). I may see if I can make some thin bars like this. You could probably just use nails started on the spacer that needs to be put in place on site and then use a pair of channel locks to push the nails in so you wouldn't need to bring air tools. Kind of cut the chicken. The chicken wire wouldn't need to be full width length to do the job, maybe just a little narrow of the bottom of the hive.


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## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

Pat,
Looks like it is bigger than what it appears to be.
The key to this is TAKE YOUR TIME. The bees will appreciate it. I would see if you can get with a local beekeeping club to assist with a lang setup. It would be worth your time for sure. An extra set of hands as well at the same time.


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## bevy's honeybees (Apr 21, 2011)

PatBeek said:


> .
> 
> Any suggestions for having to lay down while doing a cut-out?
> 
> ...


What kind of hat/veil will you wear? I have the fencing style (ultra breeze) and I got stung once while looking up at a hive, a bee got me on the chin where the veil was laying flat on my skin. 

Also be careful how much smoke you use. I've driven bees back further under by using smoke. I try not to use any or very little only at outside entrance. This works if it's a calm hive. Almost all my cut outs have been gentle, excluding the one where a bee got me on my face. 

Maybe leave some comb close to the outer entrance, so as you cut away comb going further back they will have the front comb to gather at. I read that here and wish I'd done that a few times. IMHO


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## bevy's honeybees (Apr 21, 2011)

Mr.Beeman said:


> Pat,
> Looks like it is bigger than what it appears to be.
> The key to this is TAKE YOUR TIME. The bees will appreciate it. I would see if you can get with a local beekeeping club to assist with a lang setup. It would be worth your time for sure. An extra set of hands as well at the same time.


I agree. If you have someone who can frame while you cut, especially in this situation. Have you tested them for defensiveness?


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## PatBeek (Jan 13, 2012)

bevy's honeybees said:


> Have you tested them for defensiveness?


They are not nice at all.

Even before I removed the brick skirt in front of their comb, they were trying to come at me when I was just a few feet away. And when I removed one of the bricks that was right in front of their comb, FORGET ABOUT IT......they were all over me.

They are very defensive.

And I don't plan on using a smoker or vac. I don't have them and I'm going to just tough-it-out like a big boy. And besides, I've read Michael Bush saying that smokers only make the queen retreat. I would like to have a vac on this occasion, but oh well. I plan on cutting out the comb, placing them all in my top bar hive, and then I plan on coming back at night to get the hive because HOPEFULLY the queen will be in there and the majority of the bees will have made their way in as well.

As far as my veil, it's one of those ones that is separate and has the long strings to tighten and tie. It's not fully stiff because it folds up, so no, it's not like a big globe around my head. Yes, that is my main concern, that they could get on my face if the veil comes in contact with my face. I plan on using some sort of small hat/ski mask underneath to not only provide more skin protection, but to also help lift the veil from my skin surface. I also plan on wrapping some sort of towel/scarf around my neck area to insure that they can't wriggle their way underneath the veil and into my neck/face area. I also plan on duct-taping the end of my pants (several layers of pants) to my shoes so they can't climb up. I will probably also tape up my mid-section where my pants meet the top clothing. 

It's still kinda freaky to me having a bunch of bees trying to get at me while I'm working. As you all know, it could get dangerous if too many get you at one time. These bees aren't calm, I guarantee you all.


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## Lburou (May 13, 2012)

bevy's honeybees said:


> ...snip...Also be careful how much smoke you use. I've driven bees back further under by using smoke...snip...Maybe leave some comb close to the outer entrance, so as you cut away comb going further back they will have the front comb to gather at...snip. IMHO


To this enlightened advice i would add that you should take extra supers along for the bees and comb you can't see yet.


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## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

Pat,
I still think your best bet is to contact a local beekeeping organization. Someone (like yourself) will gladly help you out AND will probably have access to a bee vac AND have access to used lang hive components. In the process you may even find someone to hang with, build bee stuff and talk bee crap.

I have a "bee bud" and I swear we were seperated at birth!


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## Intheswamp (Jul 5, 2011)

PatBeek said:


> They are not nice at all.
> 
> Even before I removed the brick skirt in front of their comb, they were trying to come at me when I was just a few feet away. And when I removed one of the bricks that was right in front of their comb, FORGET ABOUT IT......they were all over me.
> 
> ...


Uh, you don't even have a smoker and you're about to lay down below a possible AHB colony? 

Ed


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## Lburou (May 13, 2012)

Mr.Beeman said:


> Pat,
> I still think your best bet is to contact a local beekeeping organization. Someone (like yourself) will gladly help you out AND will probably have access to a bee vac AND have access to used lang hive components. In the process you may even find someone to hang with, build bee stuff and talk bee crap.
> 
> I have a "bee bud" and I swear we were seperated at birth!


Most beekeepers will jump at the chance to help, take this advice!


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

>And I don't plan on using a smoker or vac.

I hope you are at least smart enough to take a few helpers, some very secure bee suits, and CHARGE a suitable fee for you efforts. Cut out bees only produce a good hive some of the time. I am amazed what newbees are doing for free or peanuts these days.


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## shannonswyatt (May 7, 2012)

odfrank said:


> >I am amazed what newbees are doing for free or peanuts these days.


You learn a lot in a very compressed time frame from cutouts. And it is pretty cool to see what bees do when left to there own devices. 

From the sounds of it though it may not be strictly legal for Pat to do this cutout. I thought that people were saying you had to have an exterminators license in Florida and you could only kill the bees or something along those lines.


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

>You learn a lot in a very compressed time frame from cutouts.
He will Quickly learn to have used a smoker.


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## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

It's illegal to speed too, but all of us are guilty of it.


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## shannonswyatt (May 7, 2012)

odfrank said:


> >He will Quickly learn to have used a smoker.


Or a really good suit and veil!


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## PatBeek (Jan 13, 2012)

Lburou said:


> To this enlightened advice i would add that you should take extra supers along for the bees and comb you can't see yet.


Found that out. :digging:


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## shannonswyatt (May 7, 2012)

Did you do the cutout?


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## PatBeek (Jan 13, 2012)

.

Well,

I did the cutout. My bee suit worked really well, except I got too hot. I almost finished and had to disrobe. The problem was that I had taped myself up pretty doggone good (no regrets either because bees were all over me.....a smoker wouldn't have helped, believe me). I had multi-layers of pants, shirts, jackets, a batting helmet under veil, etc. THIS IS FLORIDA - NOT RHODE ISLAND. The bees were not playing, I assure you all.

Anyhow, I underestimated how quickly I would heat up. I was in direct sunlight and trying to cut comb out while laying down. I don't care WHO you are or how experienced you are, it would not have been fun. Of course it would have been nice to have help and more equipment, but what's done is done. It was a great experience although a bit hairy.

So anyhow, I got most of the comb and then I also was able to place it all in my top bar hive (hairclips and tie-wraps). I left the hive there last night and will pick it up tonight. I MAY have to go back and clean up any remaining bees left under the home in the next few days. I'm hoping that most of the bees have made their way into my hive where the great majority of the comb is and then tonight they will all be inside. I slap some duct tape over the entrance and in the trunk they go. I already secured the roof with plenty of tape yesterday.

I'll have some videos and photos later.


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## PatBeek (Jan 13, 2012)

odfrank said:


> >You learn a lot in a very compressed time frame from cutouts.
> He will Quickly learn to have used a smoker.


Actually, a vacuum.

That was THE big mistake.

I went back over there tonight to pick up my hive that I had placed all the cut-out brood and the doggone thing was completely empty of bees. I got the flashlight out and they ALL were still holding-out underneath the home, starting from scratch. 

EPIC FAIL !!

So now I'm pissed off because all that brood comb I cut out is a complete waste. I'm sure it's all dead by now since there's been no temperature regulation.

I was completely mistaken about them abandoning all that brood. They stayed with the queen and abandoned the brood. My worst fear.

SO anyhow, I contacted a local guy I've dealt with before who has a nice bee vac to see if he wants a crap-load of bees and perhaps a queen with no comb - or at least comb that's not worth too much at this point.

I'm sure he won't be interested.

Is anyone else?

If not, I may try to build a cheap vac tomorrow or I may have to go over there and douse them all with soapy water.

Anyhow, my trap-out I did previously was a complete success, but this was a complete disaster.

Not in a good mood right now - and to make matters worse, my wife who isn't fully supportive of this endeavor wasn't too happy. That explains why I don't even have a bee vac yet.

By the way, I've already been paid $60 bucks for this, so financially it's not a loss......but it's a blow to my pride and a blow to those bees.


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

> CHARGE a suitable fee for you efforts. _Cut out bees only produce a good hive some of the time._ I am amazed what newbees are doing for free or peanuts these days.

I can only repeat what I said in post #19. I did a few easy ones last year with one or two helpers for $300 and we came out with about $40 an hour not including the time it took to set up the bees as a hive. Nor any income to cover our vacuum cost etc. I wouldn't drive over there for $60.


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## praxis178 (Dec 26, 2012)

Spray with water mist to reduce flying, shake/sweep into a box (get all you can) and tip into the hive, they will keep what they can and clean out the rest. Do this around dusk so you get as many of the foragers as you can. With luck you get the queen too. Then in a few weeks re-queen with a gentler tempered queen and you should be good to go.


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## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

Huh..... enough said.


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## Lburou (May 13, 2012)

Pat, with this take out you just paid some of the tuition toward a bee take out course in the school of life. With this one under your belt you can, and will, attack the next one from a different viewpoint. Each time you do it you will take something with you to improve your outcome. 

When you've done ten or twenty takeouts, and with some experimenting, you will surely start with a little smoke, vacuum, and take precautions to leave some comb in case the queen is hiding. If you missed her, the queen will be on that comb when you check back (just vacuum and be gone with her in the box). 

A rudimentary vacuum is easy to improvise. Just take care to control the suction so it does not destroy the bees going through the nozzle and hose. I made one from a tidy cat bucket for a one time use. On that take out, the bees were back in their old location in the morning. The improvised vacuum worked just fine and I started making a robovac soon after.


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## PatBeek (Jan 13, 2012)

Lburou said:


> Pat, with this take out you just paid some of the tuition toward a bee take out course in the school of life. With this one under your belt you can, and will, attack the next one from a different viewpoint. Each time you do it you will take something with you to improve your outcome.
> 
> When you've done ten or twenty takeouts, and with some experimenting, you will surely start with a little smoke, vacuum, and take precautions to leave some comb in case the queen is hiding. If you missed her, the queen will be on that comb when you check back (just vacuum and be gone with her in the box).
> 
> A rudimentary vacuum is easy to improvise. Just take care to control the suction so it does not destroy the bees going through the nozzle and hose. I made one from a tidy cat bucket for a one time use. On that take out, the bees were back in their old location in the morning. The improvised vacuum worked just fine and I started making a robovac soon after.



EXCELLENT post with good information - especially about leaving some comb that the queen will hang-out on.

I appreciate posts that are encouraging, good info and not too judgmental. 

I'd like to say, however, that the trap-out I did was a huge success. In fact, I did an inspection of that hive this morning and the hive is very healthy and the comb is straight on the top bars.


*Got an email from new customer this morning - did trap-out this afternoon *

.


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## PatBeek (Jan 13, 2012)

.

I went to Home Depot today and got the parts to build a cheap Bucket Head vac that someone sent me directions to build.

So, in everyone's opinion, are these bees worth trying to salvage?

I'm wondering if the chances are good that I can vacuum many of them up, including the queen, and the rest will follow into the bucket (if I leave the lid off for several hours)? 

Or if that doesn't work, bring the bucket of queenless bees to my hive at home that's thriving and place them near the entrance and hopefully the hive takes in the refugees?

Or do I just douse them all with soapy water and be done with it? I'm going to spray the former hive area regardless with soapy water, but didn't know if the bees are worth it at this point.

But I figured if I DO get the queen, I can throw them in an empty hive, almost like a package of bees, and they can start building anew.


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## RobWok (May 18, 2011)

Here's a couple tricks. You can use a shop vac. Some guys are going to freak when I say that, but what you have to do is tape off the exhaust. It will cause the motor to get hot, so go in spurts, and make sure you have a foam or paper filter on the inside. A small pad of foam helps, but you're mainly trying to slow down the input. Or you can put other holes in the vac body and cover with screen.

There's a special trick and if it wasn't for my respect for other beekeepers, I would keep it to myself.....


Get a bottle of Fisher's bee quick. Then, when you have a majority of bees in the new hive, go back to the old hive and spray it, and around it.
The queen has been actively laying, and she's too fat to fly. Spray, then pull up a chair and sit back and wait. Usually within 5 minutes, I will see a clump of bees within 25 feet (usually less than 10) of the hive. They will be balled up on the ground acting different than other bees in the area. Walk up, brush lightly, and the queen will be there. She has to get away from the smell, but her fat body, and the asphyxiative qualities of the spray will make it hard for her to fly. Bee quick doesn't kill the bees, just drives them away. I have caught the queen many times. I put her in a cage inside the new hive. That causes the other bees to smell her, and if you can put the new hive near the old location, many cases by the night of day 2, you can walk away with 99.9% of the bees.

Robwok
www.mongrelbees.com


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## PatBeek (Jan 13, 2012)

RobWok,

I am going to look into getting the Bee Quick from a local supplier here in the next day-or-two.

It's always good to have options. Thanks for the tips.

Anyhow, I built one of those cheap bee vacs today................well, as cheap as one can get by with.

Here are the photos:

*
The finished product:*












*These are the two parts that fit together in order to regulate the suction. The one on the left is the actual holding-tank for the bees. The one on the right is the bottom bucket which twists around the other bucket in order to make the suction holes larger or smaller:*












*Here are those two buckets placed together:*












*Here's the inside of the holding tank:*












*Here's the lid you place on the holding tank when the bucket-vac-motor comes off:*












*I mounted a small piece of towel material in the curve of the intake pipe so the bees won't get beat to death:*











*
If anyone is interested in the directions I used, let me know. I can send you a copy.*

.


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## Blackwater Bees (May 7, 2012)

The bees will get pretty beat up going down that corregated tubing. If you'll switch it out for something smooth you won't beat up the bees/queen as bad.


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## PatBeek (Jan 13, 2012)

Blackwater Bees said:


> The bees will get pretty beat up going down that corregated tubing. If you'll switch it out for something smooth you won't beat up the bees/queen as bad.


Hmmm, thanks for that tip.

Well, Home Depot didn't have many accessories in that size of hose.

I'll have to figure out where to get the right size hose that's non-corrugated.

.


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## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

You are learning Pat.... ever so slowly, but learning. lol
Let us know how the bee vac works. 
Where's the pics and video of the intitial removal? I'm jonesing here already.


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## Lburou (May 13, 2012)

Have you planned a way to reduce the air flow? A severe restriction on the out side of the vacuum will overcome the limitation of that tubing. You want enough suction to barely lift the bees as you go. Any more than that minimum suction opens the door to damaged bees.


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## PatBeek (Jan 13, 2012)

Lburou said:


> Have you planned a way to reduce the air flow? A severe restriction on the out side of the vacuum will overcome the limitation of that tubing. You want enough suction to barely lift the bees as you go. Any more than that minimum suction opens the door to damaged bees.


Well, I'm not sure if you saw the photos of the vacuum I made, but the bottom bucket fits around the top bucket with holes that line up. As you twist the two buckets, those holes either restrict or expand in size.....so yes, there is a way to reduce and/or intensify the air flow. I'll just have to experiment to see the sweet-spot setting.


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## PatBeek (Jan 13, 2012)

Mr.Beeman said:


> Where's the pics and video of the intitial removal? I'm jonesing here already.


Thank god you don't have much to laugh at with what would have been horribly incriminating photos. Thankfully I didn't really document this cut-out. It was too chaotic and borderline dangerous. Plus, No one else could get close enough to film and my hands were too honey-fied.

I just have this short video clip of my top bar hive I left there the day I did the cut-out that's chocked full of brood comb.

It pains me to even watch this stuff:

Oh well, youtube isn't showing the video yet. I'll post it later.


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## Lburou (May 13, 2012)

PatBeek said:


> Well, I'm not sure if you saw the photos of the vacuum I made, but the bottom bucket fits around the top bucket with holes that line up. As you twist the two buckets, those holes either restrict or expand in size.....so yes, there is a way to reduce and/or intensify the air flow. I'll just have to experiment to see the sweet-spot setting.


Glad to hear that! Sorry, I missed it in the picture. Good luck!


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## PatBeek (Jan 13, 2012)

.

My hive has a much prettier roof than this. This was an improvised roof because the other roof would have been too big to fit in my wife's trunk and wouldn't have been a good enough seal anyhow.

Top bar hives aren't too great for cut-outs....................but SMALL price to pay for all the joy they bring.


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## nathan-D (Dec 2, 2012)

Thanks for the honesty of doccumenting what you did wrong, I think it is so much more educational seeing what works AND what doesn't work. I'm brand new myself and learned a ton about trapouts from viewing this thread. I haven't done a cut out yet, but I'll definately enlist some help for the first one. I do like the bee vac it seems cheap and easy to make. I'd like some more info on the bee vac if you could.


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## PatBeek (Jan 13, 2012)

.

Early Sat morning I'll be finishing up this botched cut-out.

My plan-of-attack is vacuum, vacuum a bit more, and then keep vaccuuming.

Then I'm going to spray down the whole underside area that has bee-residue with soapy water. 

I'm not using a smoker because (a), I don't have one yet, and (b), these Florida bees chew up smokers and spit them out. 

I'm going to be bundled-up like the Michelin-Man® again for protection, but it's going to be MUCH cooler here in Florida.......60 degrees or so in the morning......CHILLING !!!

On a side-note, my wife witnessed me doing an inspection of the hive that's thriving in my backyard that's from the *SUCCESSFUL* trap-out I did several months ago. Anyhow, those bees are extremely mean and were all over me. She now wants me to invest in a smoker, although with bees like this, I doubt it will knock a dent in them, however, I do agree I need one. I plan on re-queening these batches-of-bees that I am getting from these cut-outs as soon as I can. I realize they are pretty-much unworkable. Plus, I don't want these bees stinging my kids who may be playing 50 feet away.


.


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

If you don't have a smoker, how did you get the experience with one to feel that they are valueless?


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## PatBeek (Jan 13, 2012)

odfrank said:


> If you don't have a smoker, how did you get the experience with one to feel that they are valueless?


LOL, I didn't say they were value-less. It's just that I find it hard to believe in the extreme situation of probable Africanized bees, it most-likely won't make much of a difference.

I COULD BE WRONG !!!!

.


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## Ramona (Apr 26, 2008)

You absolutely need to get a smoker and learn to use it properly. It is extremely ignorant to be working bees in the proximity of others without a smoker.

If you haven't been using smoke you have no idea what the temperament of any of the bees you have worked with really is.

You are lucky your wife hasn't pulled the plug on your bee ventures by now.

Ramona


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## PatBeek (Jan 13, 2012)

Ramona said:


> You absolutely need to get a smoker and learn to use it properly. It is extremely ignorant to be working bees in the proximity of others without a smoker.
> 
> If you haven't been using smoke you have no idea what the temperament of any of the bees you have worked with really is.
> 
> ...


Ramona - I wear the pants around my house - and the stings..

Anyhow, you have no argument from me. I am going to invest in a smoker.

I hope a smoker DOES make a big difference with these types of bees.

Look at them trying to kill me:

And please don't worry - my kid is well protected in the screened-in porch. Please no one report me to CPS.

I don't want drones bombing my house. (Hahaha, no pun intended)


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## PatBeek (Jan 13, 2012)

.
So I went to finish the cut-out today at the mobile home. The new vacuum I made worked GREAT as far as having a low kill-rate. However, I had to completely abandon using my bee vac because it would have taken me 18 hours to vacuum those bees. I had the holes closed-up all the way for FULL vac-force and many of the bees were able to fly back out of the nozzle.

What I ended up doing is requesting from the maintenance guy who was on hand the usage of one of his shop vacs.

Now THAT thing had some pulling-power, but the kill-rate was much higher, obviously.

I'm not sure how many of you have been bundled-up under the bottom of a mobile home with bees trying to kill you and not much room to work while laying on your back - but a vac with almost no suction ain't gonna cut it, folks.

After I was done vacuuming, I doused the whole area where the hive was with soapy water.

I then brought the bees home that survived the vacuuming and let them go near my existing backyard hive and allowed them to assimilate into their new community.

It all seemed to go very well.

A lot of action for awhile - but I didn't really see any fighting.

I believe that an existing hive can sense whether bees are there to rob vs if they are homeless and can be taken in to lend a hand.


Here is a short video of them assimilating into my hive.


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## Mtedcarr4 (May 20, 2010)

I am sorry pat I should have made myself available for you I am down in Bartow & didn't reply until after you did the cutout . A cut out is still a good way to start any hive . I attend the Tampa Bay Beekeepers Association & the Ridge Beekeepers Association . TBBA has more members but Ridge is closer .


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## PatBeek (Jan 13, 2012)

Mtedcarr4 said:


> I am sorry pat I should have made myself available for you I am down in Bartow & didn't reply until after you did the cutout . A cut out is still a good way to start any hive . I attend the Tampa Bay Beekeepers Association & the Ridge Beekeepers Association . TBBA has more members but Ridge is closer .


I went to a Ridge meeting once last year. I know there is a lot to learn from these folks, but it just seems like the whole industrial/treating way of doing things. I may go back when I get back from Texas, but I may attempt to start a top-bar axis to combat them. 

(Tongue in cheek, folks)

But would love to meet with you at some point and perhaps stomp around each others' hives.


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## shannonswyatt (May 7, 2012)

Sit back and soak it up. Learn what you can. Just because folks are doing some things you don't want to do does't mean you can't learn a lot by being around them. Some of these guys have probably been beeks for a long, long time. You are not going to be successful as a beek commercially if you didn't learn a thing or two along the way. Once you have been at it for a few years you may be able to return the favor by showing them the way that you keep your bees. Just a thought.


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