# How warm does it need to be to do a cut out?



## Beregondo (Jun 21, 2011)

I don't do cutouts til it warms up, and I prefer to wait til a pollen flow starts and spring build up is fully underway.

That way I probably won't have to feed much (nectar flow usually starts near the same time or shortly after pollen flow where I've kept bees), but there will be plenty of very young brood for the bees to make a queen from should you lose the queen in the course of the cutout (which happens frequently).

Allow at least twice as much time as you think it will take, and don't forget to bring lots of warm water, as you'll get honey all over if you don't have a ay to clean it off of stuff as you go.

You might want to lay a light colored tarp or sheet under your work area.. it's a lot easier to find a dropped queen on a smooth white surface than a grassy dark one.


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## devil dog (Jul 1, 2014)

Wow, that is exactly the information I was looking for. Thanks


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## Beregondo (Jun 21, 2011)

:thumbsup:

It also speeds things up considerably if you have helper to cut brood comb to fit into your frames and rubber band them in while you are vacuuming and cutting.


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## WD9N (Dec 28, 2014)

Is it necessary to vacuum during a cutout? I was talking with another beek at a meeting and he acted like he had never heard of doing a cutout without a vacuum. Can I not just open the colony and start moving comb into a hive or is it just necessary to reduce numbers in the event I can't locate the queen?


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## Harley Craig (Sep 18, 2012)

you can do cutouts without a vacuum, people have been doing it for centuries. I have done 2 one with one without..... I'll never do one without again. You will get alot of fliers going back to the old spot and it's easier to leave one little section of comb and let them cluster on it and suck the last of the remainders off. Spraying them with a little sugar water so they can't fly and scooping them up by hand....not so much fun.


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## Beregondo (Jun 21, 2011)

Well, you _*can*_. 
But just because you _*can*_ doesn't mean you _*should.*_ 

Would you rather handle and smoke bees over and over, or not at all, merely vacuuming them into a brood box where they can't:

fly back the to comb you are cutting out,
get cranky from being chased off of comb every time they get back into their homespace after being smoked or brushed out of it by you
sting a homeowner or passerby.


If you want to try cutting and rubber banding comb into frames while bees are trying to cover them, you *can*. 

If you want to stand in a cloud of bees and accidentally squish some, releasing alarm pheromone, you *can*.

If you want to try to chase/pry a queen out of an inside corner or small gap just big enough so that you can't safely grab her, you *can*.
_
*But why would you want to?*_


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## My-smokepole (Apr 14, 2008)

It just makes life easier. I find having a vac can make life easier for that and at times for swarms.


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## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

Devil dog...... Marines?
Check out my FB page below and a few youtube vids. It may help you out with removals. Or it may just put you to sleep. lol


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## devil dog (Jul 1, 2014)

Mr.Beeman said:


> Devil dog...... Marines?
> Check out my FB page below and a few youtube vids. It may help you out with removals. Or it may just put you to sleep. lol


Yes Sir, 3/5, Thanks! I got the bees as PTSD therapy. 
Had upper 60's last week. Cold here again today, I hope to do this cut out towards the end of the month if I get a week or so of warm temps. Thanks.


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## marshmasterpat (Jun 26, 2013)

Devil Dog - Look for information on a bee vacuum using a 5 gallon bucket. Takes about 20 to 30 minutes to have one set up. It will work well enough if you are just going to do a few. Those nice bee vacuum boxes are the long term solution. 

Might also look up JP the Beeman's videos to see some more jobs. You can pick up alot from just watching videos.


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## devil dog (Jul 1, 2014)

Here is a picture of the doorway where one of the colonies I plan to cutout is located. 








marshmasterpat said:


> Devil Dog - Look for information on a bee vacuum using a 5 gallon bucket. Takes about 20 to 30 minutes to have one set up. It will work well enough if you are just going to do a few. Those nice bee vacuum boxes are the long term solution.
> 
> Might also look up JP the Beeman's videos to see some more jobs. You can pick up alot from just watching videos.


Roger that on the 5 gal bucket. I have watched a few of JP's vids but it has been a while. Thanks Gents! 
I go by the building almost every day where one of the cutouts I have planned is located. They are bringing in no pollen today (44 degrees and sunny). hopefully I can get them in the next couple weeks before they swarm. 
I have a craftsman shop vac that I fear is going to be way too strong to use for the bees. What are you guys using for a vacuum?


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## marshmasterpat (Jun 26, 2013)

I have a pair of 5 gallon buckets with three 4 inch holes cut in the sides. Pieces of window screen on the side holes provide ventilation and keep bees in. I use blue painter's tape over these to make the container seal up while sucking up bees. I have a hole in the side where the vacuum hose that is used to suck up bees is placed in the bucket. I use the drain spout on the top lid to attach the vacuum hose from the bucket to the vacuum. There is a screen covering the bottom of this spout to keep from sucking up bees. Inside the bucket is a piece of window screen that hangs vertically from the lid to give bees something to hang on. To adjust the suction I remove or add pieces of tape over one of the ventilation holes. About 1/3 of a hole uncovered is about right with the vacuum I use. Very crude but works. And cheap as heck. I can get all the empty 5 gallon buckets I want at work.


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