# Went with trap-out at last minute



## PatBeek (Jan 13, 2012)

.

I wasn't planning on doing a trap-out when I left that morning, but I slapped one together with what I had with me.

It's going well.

Ive since moved them onto scaffolding and added a small colony with queen that I removed from a water meter that evening.


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## Slow Drone (Apr 19, 2014)

Thanks for posting Pat! Watched this one last night on You Tube! Glad to hear you and your family came through the hurricane alright :thumbsup:


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## PatBeek (Jan 13, 2012)

Slow Drone said:


> Thanks for posting Pat! Watched this one last night on You Tube! Glad to hear you and your family came through the hurricane alright :thumbsup:


Slow Drone, I really appreciate you following my antics. 

But yes, we ended up going without power for 10 days. All is well right now.

.


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## PatBeek (Jan 13, 2012)




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## fieldsofnaturalhoney (Feb 29, 2012)

PatBeek, what if the queen doesn't come out? Do you prefer not to have the cone in the box, or was that because of logistics?


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## PatBeek (Jan 13, 2012)

fieldsofnaturalhoney said:


> PatBeek, what if the queen doesn't come out? Do you prefer not to have the cone in the box, or was that because of logistics?


Great question, but I already placed a queen in the hive from a small removal I did the other day from a water meter. Both colonies were small and needed each other. Therefore I was confident the trap-out bees weren't going to kill the queen, especially after being queenless a day or so.

I prefer not to deal with cones going through hives. It's too much trouble and my method works perfectly. I'm not downing that method. I just don't have time for it.

.


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## eltalia (Jun 12, 2017)

As an efficeiency thing Pat "cone in box" does not work, it is a "go towards the light, do not be afraid" violation.
My own method uses a cone in part tho'. Interestingly enough been in use for quite some years, and long before "beekeeping on the Internet" emerged.

One aspect of trapouts in buildings and equipment is how to evacuate the comb, a problem usually for the client and one I often struggle with. Your plan with this one is? Thanks.

Bill


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## fieldsofnaturalhoney (Feb 29, 2012)

PatBeek said:


> I already placed a queen in the hive from a small removal I did the other day from a water meter. Both colonies were small and needed each other. Therefore I was confident the trap-out bees weren't going to kill the queen, especially after being queenless a day or so.


Understood, but IF your ultimate goal is for the colony to leave the homeowners wall, & since you are in Florida, are you just hoping overtime all of the bees will eventually leave the queen in the wall (one way exit) and join your box queen? Eventually depleting the colony? Then will she too will come out when left all alone. Couldn't this take "forever" depending on the size of the colony? And what about the constant laying of eggs/new bee cycle in the wall? 
Eltalia, evacuating comb is usually not an option on trap outs, that is usually why the method is chosen because homeowners don't want to open the cavity, or impossible to? In my experience, overtime it is an almost guarantee that the problem will arise again once a crack or crevice is created in the seal or surrounding area.


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## eltalia (Jun 12, 2017)

@fieldsofnaturalhoney

Having been asked by more than one poster in BSource forums to keep my questions of other BKs concise, and to the point, I am considerate enough to reformat my usual open style.
Where that change then implies my experience is limited (to new) on a set topic I am lost as to where the middleground lies which would accurately communicate my message to ALL readers.

Rest assured my trapout experience is decades old, precedes the Internet even. I ask the question of Pat as the work done tells me this person has a clue on the process, and it may happen I can help with refining some points.

The 3 stage process I use takes just 10days or so, dependiing on weather, and more often than not extracts the queen, laying. Back in the day I would then do the clearance of comb and the closure. Today though I only offer a clearance service, comb removal and the building renovation left to the client.

To answer one of your questions?
Yes, the methodolgy I have seen (youtoob) largely used can see the queen 'stuck' in the hive. Where the comb cannot be evacuated the end is usually a starving out through entombment and could indeed take weeks. Building work then follows.

Bill


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