Hello All,
On July 4 Dave Crawford wrote "There is still a myth that trapping with the use
of a screen cone works, but then there is still a flat earth society"...
Dave, I have successfully used a screen cone in four instances over the past
several years. I was concerned that all I was doing was preventing the bees from
returning home and dooming them to no good end however, last year I placed a
newly hived swarm next to the cone opening rather than an established hive.
Within  a short period of time, the hive had grown much larger than could be
accounted for by natural increase.  Bees will drift, and bees can be manipulated
by the presence of brood so why wouldnt the presence of an established hive
immediately adjacent to a no longer accessible opening be an alternative for the
returning bees?  In my mind it works the same as switching a strong and a weak
hive, allowing the weak hive to capture the returning workers.
Now, if I can just figure out why all those aussies dont fall off the bottom of
this flat planet I guess I will be all set <g>.
take care
Patrick M O'Hearn
Bears Choice Honey
Aztec, NM