# bees in a maple tree



## Jpoindexter (Oct 22, 2010)

Do a trap out...thats the only way if you cant cut into the tree and the opening is too small to reach into. There are probably several designs online, but you can form a piece of screen into a cone with a 3/8" to 1/2" hole at the small end of the cone. Nail or staple the cone (pointing outwards) over the entrance of the hive. The bees can get out but can't figure out how to get back in. Give it about 4 to 6 hours and there should be a bunch of bees hanging around the base of the cone. Then take a hive with a frame of brood and some drawn comb and arrange it so that the landing board is within inches of the base of the cone. The bees will start to travel into the hive and start fanning the entrance. It will take several weeks for the majority of the bees to move out. But the queen will probably never leave the hive. After 6 to 8 weeks you should be able to remove the screen cone from the original hive, and the bees will rob the honey out of the old hive and deposit it into the new hive. You may have to requeen the colony.


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## kaptkimbo (Dec 30, 2010)

Thanks ...that kin of reinforces what I was thinking...6 - 8 weeks take us into Sept or Oct here in Michigan..kind of cold for getting a colony growing...since the tree and bees aren't going anywhere and I know the person...would it be best to wait till spring? or is now OK?


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## honeyman46408 (Feb 14, 2003)

Wait till spring then mabee set out swarm traps or do a trap out


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## Jpoindexter (Oct 22, 2010)

I wish I could say the same for us, but I think there is another 11 months of 107* f in our forecast.  I think it depends on how desperate the man is to get the hive out.


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## pturley (Oct 4, 2010)

Wait until spring. I doubt you could get a well provisioned hive to fall in the few remaining weeks of favorable weather. I started a trapout in a large Sycamore tree on July 21st and it is starting to look like it won't be done in time this year (I did an "in tree" inspection last night, still need to update my thread on the subject). 

The homeowner and I have already started talking about letting them rebuild through the fall flow, overwinter, then I'll come back and finish the job in the spring (getting a second hive in the process).

You could however, take advantage of the strength of the colony to build out any of your current hives that may be a bit light going into the fall. Three to five days trap-out on a strong hive can fill a nuc with bees. 

On my current trap-out, I had between 2~3 lbs of bees at 3 days and a ten frame deep completely full of bees in about 8 days.

http://www.beesource.com/forums/sho...rst-possible-cut-out-is-planned-for-next-week!

Combine the "free bees" with your hive, pull the cone, the colony in the tree should bounce right back. With luck, it will be ready for you in the spring.



Sincerely,
Paul E. Turley


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