# Comb outside the trap!



## Ted adams (Mar 20, 2012)

Backyarder said:


> Two weeks ago I checked this trap and found 6-10 bees milling around inside. Trap is a double medium, top box has foundation (one frame partially drawn) , bottom is foundationless frames. Strapped to the tree about head high. I thought this late in the year I may catch a small swarm or two.
> Got a text today that said "Houston, we have a problem!"
> Arrived to find a bunch of bees that love the outdoors. Not sure why they aren't using the inside.
> The plan is to go back before dark and rubber band as much comb as possible into frames.
> ...


My quests is it was a secondary swarm with a unmated queen, when she returned from mating flight she went below hive, is it a screened bottom? If so I have had this happen before.rubber band new comb into frames, if no capped brood add some to the box, they should stay. I would feed when inside a hive.


----------



## Tenbears (May 15, 2012)

It really does not matter what causes it. bees do it. In fact I had the same thing happen to me just a few weeks ago. I almost thought you hijacked my pic (LOL) see this post.

http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?301052-Are-these-bees-worth-keeping

In any event simply place an empty hive below the trap, place a frame of brood in it, brush the bees into the box. Then cut the comb off and band it to a empty frame, or two whatever is necessary. Scoop up any bees clinging to the bottom of the trap and place them in the hive, and put the top on. Sit back and observe for a bit. If the bees begin going into the hive you have it made, you have the queen. If they begin to cluster someplace, you do not have her, and she is probably in the cluster. try again to get her. If it happens to be on a branch that they cluster. then take the top off the hive, cut the branch, carry it to the hive and shake the bees in. you will most likely have the queen then. leave the hive and come back after dark. close it up and take it home.


----------



## Backyarder (Mar 25, 2014)

What a mess! They had quite a bit of nectar stored in those combs already. The comb just fell apart as I cut it down. I did find eggs and larvae, there's definitely a laying queen somewhere in that mess.
Put them in another double medium full of frames, I think i got four frames of comb banded in. After I took the small outside combs off the bees started to cluster to one side. Put the boxes under them and shook the cluster in. Finished removing and banding in comb, it was REALLY soft. As we were getting ready to leave this Is what it looked like. There's a gap on that edge of the lip and they were bearding there.
I'm not positive the queen is in there! . There was at least 2 pounds of bees in there, so I hope the rest of them in the box were tending to her. Most of those bees were in the box, I think they may be claustrophobic bees...









Won't be able to check them until tomorrow night. If all looks I may leave them there until the weekend. The bees at my house aren't bringing in much right now. They seem to be putting up honey and pollen as fast as they can make comb.

*the bottom two boxes are empty and sealed, I used them on a stand to get the trap near the same height.


----------

