# My first trap-out



## fieldsofnaturalhoney (Feb 29, 2012)

Where are you located? What size box/how many frames are you using? Trap-outs are a long process, so you will need your patience pants
I wouldn't have smashed those queen cells, but removed and replaced those frames to start another colony with. They will most likely make more when you put another frame of eggs/larvae in. With all of the drones, could it be the mother colony is queen-less?
"How often should I be adding eggs/brood to continue luring the queen/nurse bees out of the wall?"
For me that would depend on how fast they occupy/fill the frames/box that I am trapping in.


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## dd33 (Jun 20, 2019)

Hi, I am in Florida. I am using a 10 frame medium super with a 3" "riser" under it to bring the box to the height of a standard deep. I did that so I could drill the new entrance hole through the riser instead of a good box.
I have 9 frames in the box instead of 10 so the trap out cone would fit.
I thought about saving the queen cells but I didn't take the eggs from a colony I am particularly fond of. Next time I bring eggs I will bring them from a better queen.
I wondered if the colony was queenless but figured if it was laying workers making the drones they would be laying eggs all over the new box too. I don't think there is an unreasonable number of drones, I am guessing this is just how many a colony makes when they draw all their own comb without foundation??
I will take some pictures of the setup today.


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## dd33 (Jun 20, 2019)

I took a couple of photos today:


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## Litsinger (Jun 14, 2018)

Good looking set-up, dd33.

When facing a similar dilemma last year, i contacted Mr. Hogan and he suggested that I add another frame of open brood and then check the box 8-12 hours later, looking carefully to see if the queen is in there. If not, keep checking on 12 -24 hour intervals, and install the 1-way trap immediately once the queen is in residence.

For my part, I never did find the queen but confirmed she was in there when I brought the set-up home.

As mentioned in another thread, a second trap-out I conducted last year immediately started drawing out queen cells. It wasn't until these cells were ready to emerge that the queen made her way down. While I was not able to witness it (happened over a weekend), the cells were torn on the sides when the queen was found, leading me to conclude that the cells might have been 'quacking' and this served as impetus for the queen to come check things out.

Best of luck to you with this effort. I will look forward to seeing how this turns out.

Russ


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## dd33 (Jun 20, 2019)

I found eggs in the trap box today but was unable to find the queen. Hopefully she isn't passing back and forth through the cone.


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## fieldsofnaturalhoney (Feb 29, 2012)

dd33 said:


> Hopefully she isn't passing back and forth through the cone.


That’s great news, but how would that be possible?


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## dd33 (Jun 20, 2019)

Not sure. I checked on them again this morning and had my wife help look for the queen. We still couldnt find her. Lots of eggs though.


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## Litsinger (Jun 14, 2018)

dd33 said:


> Not sure. I checked on them again this morning and had my wife help look for the queen. We still couldnt find her. Lots of eggs though.


dd33:

This is the same problem that I ran into with one of my trap-outs last year. I took them home and ultimately found the queen.

In your specific case, and if you have the luxury of a little time, I would simply keep monitoring the traffic in the cone. Assuming there are no bees traveling the wrong way back into the wall, the traffic will slow to nothing and you will know you have harvested everything viable from the colony.

If however you determine you have two-way flow back into the wall cavity, you might try installing a manufactured one-way bee escape installed on the end of your cone for better control.

I look forward to reading how this one turns out for you- sounds promising.

Russ


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## dd33 (Jun 20, 2019)

We got the queen this morning. I transferred all of the frames into a standard deep box and moved it about a foot away from the hole in the wall. I stuck the one way cone into the hole in the wall. I figured I would check back in a day or so to see if there were still bees leaving the wall. 

Any advice for how long to wait for all the bees in the wall to hatch and leave? Its only been 3-4 weeks so I assume there are still bees emerging inside the wall.


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## Saltybee (Feb 9, 2012)

If I was the building owner I would say the longer the better. Best case is they are making a new queen for you and cleaning up all the honey and stores for the owner.


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## Fivej (Apr 4, 2016)

Good point Salty. I had never thought this through. I don't do this stuff, but I like following this thread to live vicariously through others. So,lets say they make a new queen. I assume she goes on her mating flight and can't get back in. They eventually go laying worker and die off. In the process resources are used. This could take some time. From following here, it seems many seal everything up right away probably leaving a lot of honey,pollen,bee bread inside the structure. J


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## dd33 (Jun 20, 2019)

I stopped by the trap out again on the way home from work today. There were no bees coming out of the cone but a steady stream of fire ants going in. I don't think I am going to need to worry about letting the bees rob out the honey. The fire ants might take care of it all including unhatched brood.
I moved the box a few more feet away so the fire ants wouldn't take them out at the same time.


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## Saltybee (Feb 9, 2012)

It's all local isn't it.


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## Litsinger (Jun 14, 2018)

Congratulations, dd33. I sincerely hope that this colony preforms really well for you.

Enjoyed reading your posts and glad it worked out.

Russ


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## Cloverdale (Mar 26, 2012)

Litsinger said:


> Good looking set-up, dd33.
> 
> When facing a similar dilemma last year, i contacted Mr. Hogan and he suggested that I add another frame of open brood and then check the box 8-12 hours later, looking carefully to see if the queen is in there. If not, keep checking on 12 -24 hour intervals, and install the 1-way trap immediately once the queen is in residence.
> 
> ...


That makes sense to me, the resident queen hearing the quacking; that sounds like a good way to do a trap out.


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## dd33 (Jun 20, 2019)

I went by the trap out location today to finish cleaning up my mess and permanently seal up the entrance hole I drilled. Turns out someone or something knocked the one way cone out of the hole and a new colony of bees moved in. Now I get to start all over again!


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## JWPalmer (May 1, 2017)

The gift that keeps on giving.


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## Litsinger (Jun 14, 2018)

dd33 said:


> Now I get to start all over again!


Good for you! Sounds like you're going to get the opportunity to become a trap-out expert.

Could be that the cavity bees were able to successfully requeen assuming enough population and another way out of the cavity.


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## dd33 (Jun 20, 2019)

I don't think so. The hole has probably been open for 1 or 2 weeks. I'm sure the smell was irresistible for a swarm.


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## fieldsofnaturalhoney (Feb 29, 2012)

Litsinger said:


> Could be that the cavity bees were able to successfully requeen assuming enough population and another way out of the cavity.


What happen to the ants? I hope you are getting well paid, this seems to be taking a lot of your time.


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## dd33 (Jun 20, 2019)

So, I went back to the building on Saturday and as I walked around the corner to check on the bee traffic I noticed there were bees around the swarm trap I have had there for the last year. There were no bees coming or going from the hole in the wall anymore. When i walked back to the truck I heard the swarm take flight from a nearby fence. They all settled in/on the swarm trap instead of the far more appropriate hole in the wall.

The bees I saw coming out of the wall a few days ago must have been scouts. I have no idea why they chose the trap over hole in the wall but I have found that bees really, really like this style of trap.


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## Litsinger (Jun 14, 2018)

dd33 said:


> They all settled in/on the swarm trap instead of the far more appropriate hole in the wall.


dd33:

Congratulations on the swarm catch- sounds like the ladies did you a favor and spared you the effort of another trap-out. Well-played .


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