Frank & Phronsie Humphrey
[log in to unmask]
 
 
----------
> From: Conrad Berube <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Bee removal
> Date: Sunday, June 22, 1997 12:48 PM
>
> Hi Frank,
>
> >It took about 30 minutes for the bees to start exiting via the tubing.
> >However once started they came out in a steady stream.  If this
continues
> >to work as well as it started, I will never again use screening.
>
> I've used screen in the past to funnel bees and wasps out of nests or
into
> traps and would offer a caveat.  The idea of using screening is that the
> screen funnel is permeable to nest odors at all points.  Thus the tip of
the
> funnel is no more attractive than any other point of the funnel (and
> probably less so than the areas closer to the original nest opening).
Bees
> find their way out but not back in.  With tubing it seems that you might
> risk the possibility that bees would just start using the tubing as an
exit
> and ENTRANCE back into their old nest.  Might be advisable to rig up
> something using both tubing and screen to prevent bees from finding their
> way back into the tree/building from which you are trying to exclude
them.
>
The end of the tubing is placed in the entrance of the bait hive.  On the
first day the bees were frantic to get back in to the old nest.  24 hrs.
later,  some field bees tried to get into the old nest upon returning but
quickly turned and entered the bait hive.  The young bees were orienting on
the bait hive.  Today, 48 hours later, a few of the field bees buzzed the
old nest entrance then entered the bait hive.  Most flew directly into the
bait hive.  All young  bees are orienting on the bait hive.   I watched for
about a total o 3 hrs the first day, 1 hr the second day and 1 hr. today
and I have yet to see any bees using the tube to return to the old nest.
 
> I've also considered using Great Stuff to assist in sealing large areas
but
> was afraid that the fumes of the curing foam would kill bees, did you
notice
> this happening at all, Frank?
The only bees that I saw killed were those that got stuck in foam as it was
curing, about 12 bees.  This was a trial so most of the sealing was dun
with caulking compound.  I only used foam to seal the tube in place so not
very much got inside.  This colony has been in continuous residence for 20
years and has cast at least 1 swarm every year.  For this reason I plan to
remove the sideing and capture the queen in about 2 weeks.  I would like to
get some queens from her since the colony has survived this long
unattended.
>
>         -              Conrad Berube
>       "  `            ISLAND CROP MANAGEMENT
>       "   `           613 Hecate St.
>   _- -_`-_|'\  /`     Nanaimo, B.C.
> _/ / / -' `~()()      V9R 4K4
>  \_\ _ /\-._/\/       (250)754-2482; fax (250)656-8922
>       /   | |         email: [log in to unmask]
>      '`   ^ ^         website: http://pinc.com/~bwarner/