# Trap out from under a shed



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

The only reason I'm attempting this trap out is because it's the neighbor of my grandkids, and this backyard has a swing set where my grandkids and others play. I don't have much hope for success. 

There are 2 sheds side by side with about 2 feet of space between. All along the bottom there is space, and most areas have dry rot, might show in this picture. Here's what I've done so far to reduce the entrance. 

https://www.dropbox.com/sc/eu264p55f7zwl23/AADxFDyuB1i4N8KzmuW9oaAoa

All along the side of the shed I taped a wide piece of construction grade trash bag--tape along top and then stones/bricks along bottom snug up against the side of the shed.

On Saturday I want to attach this at the bee entrance, with silicone and tape. Hopefully, I can get cone into the little 4 frame nuk that has a small round entrance on each end, on lower, one higher on the box. Ideally cone will fit into one of the openings:

https://www.dropbox.com/sc/k1bfspmexyvr995/AACQUj7g3u-RXyp2-uJ5Tr4Pa

Has anyone tried doing a trap out like this, and what were your results, problems, etc? Thanks.


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## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

Removal from the inside is impossible?


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## AmericasBeekeeper (Jan 24, 2010)

Why don't you just cut the comb out and be done with it.


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## JWChesnut (Jul 31, 2013)

I just did a removal on a hive under a shed where I temporarily jacked the shed up from one corner, tipping it a bit. Was easy to vacuum and cut comb with the access. Comb under the floor was very narrow, and fit in mediums.


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

That has to be some pretty narrow comb under there. I don't know if he owns a jack, I can ask. How far up, how many jacks, without fear of tipping it over? Is a foot too much if we tried that? I'm not sure the shed can handle it with all that dry rot. The frame board along the bottom felt pretty loose. 

I also neither own nor am I any good with a chain saw--if I went from the inside, and cutting up his shed floor, hmm not sure he would pick this way before exterminator. 

Too bad I can't move the bull ants from my son's back yard across the street. I had a bait box on a ladder, 3 feet off the ground. It's an empty lot, brushy and pine trees, where a beautiful swarm moved in. A week later they were gone. Last night I opened the box to find 3 very nice new drawn comb they built before they left, and the bottom of the hive covered with bull ants and ant eggs. That's about 300 yards from where the shed bees are.


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## JWChesnut (Jul 31, 2013)

I just stuck a long wrecking bar under the sill plate, set up an advantageous lever with a rock and stepped on the end of the bar, when I got 6 inches, I stuck a block of wood in the gap. (Caveman construction). Six inches was more than enough to see and vacuum, since the comb was less than 4 inches deep.

The shed creaked and groaned but didn't collapse, your mileage may vary.


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

I removed two from a shed floor last year. The owner cleaned out the shed, we carefully sawed the plywood floor above the floor joists with a skill saw set to the plywood depth. Some of the combs came up attached to the plywood. The shed was built on clean drain rock. I got five gallons of perfectly clean honey combs and two colonies. The weaker one survived the winter and produced a crop. Three men six hours.


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## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

X2 with Odfrank. So simple... even a caveman could do it. lol
Bev... it will be so much easier and safer done this way.


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## Cleo C. Hogan Jr (Feb 27, 2010)

Mr. Beeman.. Odfrank.. Last year, I did almost what you did except, I cut about a 15 X 10 hole in the floor of the shed, using a Skil saw and then put a deep hive with drawn comb, over the hole and let the bees move up.

Bevy, (the lady who started this thread), came over and took the hive and the queen was in it.

As it normally goes if you do not remove the comb, this Spring another swarm moved in and took up residence in the box. I think Bevy has taken them also. No one uses the shed in the Summer months so I just leave a deep box over the hole in the floor. Looks like a great place to catch bees. I caught another one for her, in an empty deep on the seawall. When I leave Florida, I try to leave a couple of empty hives to catch swarms, hoping they will not go into my house or neighbor's house.

cchoganjr


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

In other words, not one single vote for the trap out. 
As I've already started the process I'm going to give it a few days and see what happens. Today I'm taking over the cone board and attaching it and set up a nuk...that will be the tell all. I will ask the owner about cutting into the floor if trap out doesn't work. Thanks for the instructions on the skill saw--that helps. I suppose the cut out flooring can be used to seal up the floor again, correct?

The shed at Cleo's, it's just like harvesting bees out of a tree. Put the hive box with frames, couple drawn frames above the hole in the floor, and bees move in. The take from a few weeks ago did not have the queen but I got bees and some nice comb and brood, which I combined with another hive at home. I put another box in it's place so maybe queen and left over bees will move in. I also collected a swarm that moved into the box he set up on the sea wall and I put another bait box in it's place, plus another bait nuk right behind the shed. 

Cleo, if anyone else wants some of those Moore Haven swarms in the future, I am happy to share. They have been gentle bees so far, which is important to me as my hives are near homes.


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## Cleo C. Hogan Jr (Feb 27, 2010)

Bevy... Any swarms they catch will be yours, unless, you do not want them. I will let you make that decision. Sure looks like that area is a good place for swarm boxes.

cchoganjr


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

>I suppose the cut out flooring can be used to seal up the floor again, correct?

I mark the sides of the removed plywood and remaining plywood (aa bb cc dd) so that it is easy to put back in the same position. Saw down the middle of the floor joists so that all plywood will still have support along all sides. You can find the joist by finding the nails. Remove them so that you do not saw through them.


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

Wow thanks guys! You do make it sound easy. I will have owner do the cuts if we end up going that way. He can be out of there when I lift the flooring. 

I placed this yesterday; I give it 3 days to see if it's going to work. Today I'm bringing a frame of open brood to put in. 

https://www.dropbox.com/sc/8nf0ah3epxjcwa3/AAA50WBu63qkkHgDh_P441rDa


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

It appears to be working
https://www.dropbox.com/sc/q062a2mogmgyo51/AABY7N1ajClxEwup5PRZaPSma

I brought a same size nuk with frames of empty comb and one frame open and capped brood to switch out this afternoon, right after 2 hrs of rain and more coming. When I walked up to the shed, my first thought--how was I going to get these home? I tried smoking them into the box, and they didn't budge. So I peeked under the lid, and it is solid packed full of bees. This is a 4 frame box. 

My son lives across the street and he happened to have a box that was maybe 2 inches bigger on each end as the size of the nuk, a good 3 inches higher. I carefully put them in and quickly taped it up, as they poured out angry as all get out. The cardboard box was covered with tape on all outside surfaces, lucky for me on both points. 

I placed them next to my other back yard hives and cut a large flap opening, and walked away and they were very ticked off. I think I've had a situation like this before where they absconded after I brought them home, a hive that was angry like this one. We shall see what happens. 

At the shed, I had to tape along the siding where the roof meets, they were starting to use it for an entrance.


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## Cleo C. Hogan Jr (Feb 27, 2010)

Bev.. My neighbor,(John in Moore Haven) says the shed, and the hive, have bees going and coming.

cchoganjr


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