# Extracting bees from a tree hive.



## Ziad (Mar 19, 2017)

Pic


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## Ziad (Mar 19, 2017)




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## appalachianoutdoors (May 16, 2015)

They are bees, not mice. They know to enter their tree hive at one spot, not by flying through a maze to get there.
Please consider leaving the tree hive alone and purchasing a package off bees if you are interested in beekeeping. It sounds like this is your 1st attempt at beekeeping. If so, make it enjoyable and hopefully a positive experience by taking a class and reading lots of books, maybe have a mentor, before you get started. Your tree hive will be a great resource later to catch swarms from, but for now, ....


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## davel (Jan 29, 2011)

appalachianoutdoors said:


> They are bees, not mice. They know to enter their tree hive at one spot, not by flying through a maze to get there.
> Please consider leaving the tree hive alone and purchasing a package off bees if you are interested in beekeeping. It sounds like this is your 1st attempt at beekeeping. If so, make it enjoyable and hopefully a positive experience by taking a class and reading lots of books, maybe have a mentor, before you get started. Your tree hive will be a great resource later to catch swarms from, but for now, ....


I second this thought. Buy a package or catch a swarm and leave the ones in the tree alone. Chances are you will just disrupt the hive and cause problems. It's not worth the time or effort to mess with these bees and besides...it's nice to watch a feral hive in it's natural environment.


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## Branman (Aug 20, 2003)

Sorry, I have to agree with the two posts above. Capture the swarms the colony puts out each spring and enjoy the varroa-free bee tree in the mean time.


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## fieldsofnaturalhoney (Feb 29, 2012)

Varroa-free bee tree:lpf:
Ziad, you have the right idea, but you need some refinement Do a search for a Hogan trapout. Lots of time, but you could get a starter hive & have the hive in the tree live.


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## Tenbears (May 15, 2012)

Your process is fundamentally correct. However I like a very short pathway from the hive to the trap. I would start by leaving the lid off the trap so the bees will more readily access the hive through the trap. when they are flying in and out through the box as though it was natural then I would place frame in and close the cover they will find the entrance soon. Now here is the important part. for all this to work you are going to need frames of brood. This will draw the nurse bees out of the hive into the trap. At this point I install a one way gate so the bees can come out of the hive into the trap but cannot go back in. You remove the bees and frames periodically usually every 4 days and replace with new brood frames These bees must be moved away from the parent hive or the bees will soon enough fly back. And you will wind up moving the same bees from trap to new hive. The queen often comes out to investigate the addition to the hive and she herself cannot return. Once you have the queen all the bees will abandon the original hive as the brood hatches out. Removing the queen from the trap too soon will cause the bees in the hive to build a new one from and suitable larva within the hive. 

Now, With that said. If the bees in the tree are not a nuisance, then leave them be. place a swarm trap in the vicinity of the hive. and place a few drawn frames in it. dab some Lemongrass oil on a Q-tip and place in the back of the hive. when the hive swarms the bees will more than likely find the trap and move in. they will already know where it is as several generations of scouts will have checked the trap out. I have caught many swarms from the same wild bee tree over many years. 
Good luck and enjoy.


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## Tenbears (May 15, 2012)

fieldsofnaturalhoney said:


> Varroa-free bee tree:lpf:


 It probably is, the OP is in Australia! Just sayin!


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## Branman (Aug 20, 2003)

Tenbears said:


> It probably is, the OP is in Australia! Just sayin!


I think he was commenting on the rhyming, at least I think he was 

It is most definitely varroa free, the lucky b's.


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## Gypsi (Mar 27, 2011)

I have attempted a Hogan trap and yeah ended up having to cut out empty comb after the bees absconded to parts unknown, then close the gal's house.

I'm with the bait the swarm trap in a nice spot not too far away and do some open feeding, should get you a couple of swarms, maybe a couple of swarm traps


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## Ziad (Mar 19, 2017)

Ziad said:


> View attachment 31618


Thank you to all that responded. 

It's early Autumn here and as you can see from the pic there are many bees that sleep outside the hive. As I understand bees will swarm in spring or early summer, however with so many bees Outside the hive are they likely to swarm at an unusual time? 
If so how will I know that they are about to swarm if I can't see inside the hive?

Thanks


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## B52EW (Jun 3, 2013)

Ziad, had a similar tree trapout, see pictures on related post:

http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?318751-Successful-Trapout

It takes a lot of patience and I started mine at the end of summer so I had some time to do it.

I'm about to try it again, A friend had a swarm take up residence in an old vehicle gas tank (size almost identical to a deep brood box).


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## Tenbears (May 15, 2012)

Ziad said:


> Thank you to all that responded.
> 
> It's early Autumn here and as you can see from the pic there are many bees that sleep outside the hive. As I understand bees will swarm in spring or early summer, however with so many bees Outside the hive are they likely to swarm at an unusual time?
> If so how will I know that they are about to swarm if I can't see inside the hive?
> ...


 It is not uncommon for bees to cluster outside the hive in the fall Especially if it is hot and humid. The drone eviction and cooler weather will make the necessary adjustment. Although bees swarm in the fall they are more likely to do so in the spring. Capturing a fall swarm and doing a fall trap out are somewhat questionable. unless you have other resources available to supplement the hive, Heavy feeding right up until it gets too cold is necessary and even then it is a roll of the dice. 
As for telling when a hive is going to swarm. Although it can be done fairly easily with a domestic hive, when it comes to a wild hive it is anyone's guess. Just keep your traps out during periods when swarming usually occurs. You may even get a bonus or two.


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## Ziad (Mar 19, 2017)

Thanks again for all the advice.


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