# trap out



## stevedc (Feb 24, 2012)

well, i took the plunge this morning and set up a trap out at my brothers house. i use the swarm box i had built and cut a hole in the back, ran some pvc pipe from there to a screen i put over their entrance. i used a small piece of the same screen to make somewhat of a oneway gate in the end of the pvc pipe going into the box. i am a newbee so i have no brood comb or any comb for that matter. there are topbars in the swarm box with bees wax rubbed on them and lemon grass oil. i have to go back and make they can make it through the little gate in the pipe, if not, will take the top of and make needed ajustments. plans are to let it stay there for atleast a month that way i should have comb builders, fanners, guards, and field bees. not much chance getting the queen without brood comb from what i have read. any comments or suggestion appreciated. also placed sugar water on top , i know they will be hungry.


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## delber (Dec 26, 2010)

Without having much resources it will be harder to do a trapout for sure. You will need to secure a queen from somewhere after only a couple days there will be a ton of bees outside of the hive. IMHO What I'd do if I were in your shoes is I'd get my hands on a queen before I set the trapout up. Once I know that a queen is about 2-3 days from arriving I'd then set the trapout up and start going. Then once I get the queen I'd hang her in the trapout box and hope that the bees that are outside will go in after her to "join" her. You need to make sure you use a introduction cage for her. After that day I'd move them to another location. You now have hive 1. From there I'd stop the trapout on the main hive for a week or two while you get hive 1 up and running a little. If you can secure from other beekeepers in the area any drawn comb that would definitely help you out. From there I'd do this . . . https://kelleybees.com/Education/Resources/shd.pdf to seek to get the queen. You will be very limited in what you can give them unless you are able to get some drawn comb (even a couple frames will go a long way) Cleo has sent me detailed instructions and has posted on other threads offering this also so I don't think I'm doing anything "wrong" as he has offered it several times, but if you have questions you can feel free to ask him to send you his swarm harvester instructions also and he will. His e-mail addy is [email protected] 
In SC you ought to be able to secure a queen from somewhere I'd imagine. If you can get a frame of brood (consisting of eggs, larva, capped) that will draw them in to stay in your trap also. They'll then take that and start a queen of their own I'd imagine. I hope this helps. Let us know how things go for you!!!


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

Anyone that needs instructions on the Harvester, and photos of actual traps in progress, e-mail me at:

[email protected] Glad to help anyone.

cchoganjr


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## stevedc (Feb 24, 2012)

hello mr hogan, i got the idea from your design and worked with what i had. thanks lots.


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## delber (Dec 26, 2010)

Stevedc,
Another option may be to move your box near the actual hive. (In his back yard) Use it as a swarm catcher. Not as the Kelly's "swarm harvester", but an actual swarm box in that when / if this hive swarms in the near future you try to catch it in your box. You can do some other research here that may help as well to figure out what kind of box is a good size for a swarm box etc. 

You also mentioned (in a PM) that your house is only 1/4 mile from where this hive is. You may want to consider another yard that's a bit farther away and seek to obtain one. You can ask around, or perhaps you have a friend that wouldn't mind a hive in their back yard for a week or two. I've been told that if you move a hive let them be for 2 weeks, then you can move them back without any problems of them "remembering" the old location. Oh just one more thought. . . During the flow worker bees only live about 6 weeks. Leaving the trapout up for a month you won't have all of the bees because some and several of them have already died, and doing the trapout the queen has slowed laying because stores haven't been coming in so doing this weakens the existing hive. This is why I like Cleo Hogan's thoughts / way of doing the trapout. It seems to be the best all around way to maximize everything. (keep the most bees, healthy hives, etc.)

Mr. Hogan, Thank-you for replying. I was thinking I wasn't out of line giving your info out, because you're so willing to help others and have given it out in the past. Please correct me if I am wrong.


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

Willing to help anyone any time. I have no secrets.

cchoganjr


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## BeeGhost (May 7, 2011)

Cleo C. Hogan Jr said:


> Willing to help anyone any time. I have no secrets.
> 
> cchoganjr


That right there is a true beekeeper and friend to those of us just gaining our first experiences in all different aspects of beekeeping! Thanks for your time and help Cleo!


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## stevedc (Feb 24, 2012)

thanks mr hogan, i received your email with info and really appreciate that. now i have to rethink my trapout system. you are a true friend to beeks. thank you.


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## stevedc (Feb 24, 2012)

delber ,thanks for the options you suggested, they will be considered. must learn something new every day.


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## stevedc (Feb 24, 2012)

i pulled the pve pipe from the hole and will allow them to get used to the new intry hole in the screen. have to make planes for a queen and then restart trapout.


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## fhlowrimore (Jun 19, 2009)

Steve , I have some queen cells on a 8 1/2 " frame with brood and nurse bees. Looked at them today. I sent you a message yesterday it has my info. Call me.

Henry Lowrimore


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## wheeler88 (Mar 6, 2011)

Good post, and much thanks to Cleo for sharing and helping all of us............


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## stevedc (Feb 24, 2012)

many thanks to mr. lowrimore, he gave me a comb of brood with nurse bees and loaned me the equipment to get them home. they are safe and released at their new temporary home. they were ready to get out of that box and greeted me not too graciously.


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## fhlowrimore (Jun 19, 2009)

You are welcome Mr Steve. Nice to have met you and your grandson. Welcome to bee keeping.

Henry Lowrimore


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## stevedc (Feb 24, 2012)

Inside the trapout box as of this morning 4/26/12


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## stevedc (Feb 24, 2012)

looks like the colony swarmed and decided the trapout box is a pretty good home. sure hope the queen is in that cluster.


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## LetMBee (Jan 4, 2012)

What is that zip-loc bag doing there in the bottom of your trap-out box? What it for?


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## stevedc (Feb 24, 2012)

hey letmbee, that contains a small piece of papertowel with a couple drops of lgo. i didn't have any frame of comb or brood to put in it so it has 5 top bars with bees wax rubbed on them. they are building comb already. i have a swollen hand to prove i looked. lol


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## JBees (Feb 9, 2010)

Cleo, Thank you for posting info of the harvester. It has been very helpful in trapping out bees. I never knew you could do that. Again thank you for posting'


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## LetMBee (Jan 4, 2012)

Cleo: 
I currently have one of these contraptions installed. Friday I will be putting the brood in the "harvester" box. So far so good....


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## stevedc (Feb 24, 2012)

well, i was right about them swarming. wed. i got a call from my brother saying they were in the air. i grabbed my bee vac and took off. they were on a limb about 8ft up when i got there. vaccuumed and installed them borrowing a frame of mixed brood from my only other hive. so far so good.


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## stevedc (Feb 24, 2012)

the bee tree hive must have swarmed again, went there yesterday and a few bees now and then were going in the trapout box but the sugar water i have sitting nearby on a swarm trap was covered in bees and they were all flying off to the north. i took a look thru the woods but couldn't find them. i'll try again later when there's more time.


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## stevedc (Feb 24, 2012)

Now the whole hive has left.


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