# Best time to do a cut out?



## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

Sounds like this morning would bee a good time.


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## txbeek (May 21, 2013)

In this situation whenever you have time, but be prepared for it to take twice as long as you think. 

For structure removals i generally calculate estimated number of hours for removal, plus add 1 hour for the unexpected, then start that amount of time before sunset. If all goes well and the queen is in a clip in the hive, most of the bees join her after dark. I then vacuum up any clustered stragglers that didnt get the memo about change of address, then move them to their new home after dark. When the hive is situated, I dump the bees in the vac into the hive. 

But since they are already contained at your house in a box, get the queen caged and then go at your pace. It really doesn't matter when as long as the new hive is in the same location as the owl box. The returning bees will shift to the hive with the queen.


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## marant (Jan 18, 2014)

I am an absolute beginner, and doubt I will ever do a cutout in a structure. However, this morning I did one in a downed log. We started at 7:20 in the morning, just as the sun came up. The bees were all still in the log, sleeping. Temp was about 78. A lot of bees stacked on top of each other at the original entrance and at the broken end of the log. They were reluctant to move or fly. Made it pretty easy to vac them up.


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## hankstump (Jul 30, 2014)

Maybe I should have been a bit more specific. 
I was thinking what time of year would be best? 
What is the least disruptive on the hive with the greatest chance of success. I suppose it would be bad to move them when they are stressed. 
Thanks for all your replies though.


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