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relocating bees from wood duck house?
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Posted by juliana63 z5 MI (My Page) on Wed, Feb 6, 08 at 20:12
| A small swarm arrived in my garden last summer and took up residence in an empty wood duck house about 10' off the ground. I have an acre of mostly perennial gardens and fruit trees, so they were very busy filling the house with honeycomb (it's visible through the entrance hole). On warmer days this winter, they have been very active flying about the tree. I have since acquired an empty hive, and plan to attend a local bee club seminar in March with plans to set up a hive or two.
I am wondering if there is any method of encouraging my freebie colony to take up residence in a new hive. They have certainly filled up their current residence and will be looking for new quarters. I don't expect that there is any way to get the duck house open without destroying the attached comb and thoroughly annoying the bees.
Any suggestions?
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Follow-Up Postings:
RE: relocating bees from wood duck house?
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I happened the same on my wood duck house, my house was easy to take apart by screws.
It worked just fine but next time I would try a easier way by putting the house, [opening] on top of a brood box with
frames.
Over time, perhaps a few weeks, the queen would go down and lay eggs, after the duck house gets filled.
Konrad
.. This picture,...looking from the bottom of the house.
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Tying comb & brood onto empty frame
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RE: relocating bees from wood duck house?
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Thanks Konrad!
Do I understand correctly that you took the house apart, removed the queen, then put her in the new brood box? I thought about just laying the house on top of a brood box, but I have concerns about getting the house down from the tree due to its weight. Do you think it likely that I'd have any success just putting a box nearby to attract the bees if they swarm again in the spring? Thanks,
Juliana |
RE: relocating bees from wood duck house?
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| After removing the bottom, I shook the house [ knock] over empty frames, there is no need to locate the queen, you check the hive in a couple of day's or weeks, [you can have a virgin queen] then see if you have a laying queen. >>I have concerns about getting the house down from the tree due to its weight<<
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This is what I have done...
. . >>Do you think it likely that I'd have any success just putting a box nearby to attract the bees if they swarm again in the spring?<< Perhaps?, best to put lures further up on trees and not too close to your hives, I have build a swarm catch platform on top of a fuel stand.
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RE: relocating bees from wood duck house?
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| Thanks again -- your pictures are very helpful. Juliana |
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