Answers on a postcard please

[Poly Hive]

I passed comment on the Taranov Board.

As for this construction... not a clue. I ain't the oracle as previously posted.

PH

 

[thedeaddiplomat]

Do you mean Taranov Board ?

John Wilkinson

Isn't that what I said?

 

[AMAE]

Poop scoop for giant bees?

 

[plumber]

swarm collection device !

 

[dudley]

Just about the correct answer.

swarm collection device !

I designed it to get a colony from a chimney. I let it lay out flat so it would slide down the chimney stack between the brickwork and the colony. Then pull up on the string to raise the flap and bring the whole thing up under the comb and cluster. The stick goes across the top of the stack through whatever whole lines up best in the upright timber, (it all depended on how far the colony extended down the flue) and that holds it in place so I have both hands free, while I cut around the comb and the flue wall. The contraption is then lifted up out of the stack with comb resting on the flap. I shall post some photos a little later this evening as I have to transfer said colony into a proper hive now before it too late in the day.
Steve.

 

[victor meldrew]

Isn't that what I said?

Alluded to !!! (Rasputin was a Russian )

John Wilkinson

 

[dudley]

My photos

First of all a proper safe working platform is essential. As confident as I am working with bees you cannot be balancing on the top of a ladder, holding onto a chimney pot with one hand and trying to handle a tricky job like this. The scaffold cost £250 and I charged £270. The homeowner was happy to pay £520 to have the colony carefully removed, that were coming into the main bedroom in their hundreds through an unused open fireplace.View attachment 1868

This photograph shows the tall chimney pot removed, and as suspected the bees had combed under the bottom ledge of the pot where it sits on the brick stack.View attachment 1869

Here you see my Heath Robinson support gadget in position (size adjusted on site to suit the flue opening after the pot was removed).
I first slid it down under the colony. When I knew that the plywood was well below the mass of comb and bees I pulled back on the string bringing the bottom flap to 90º of the upright board thus creating a shelf. The string was tied off and lifted it up until I felt resistance from the swarm and comb. A timber stick was then slid through the most suitable hole in the vertical bar and supported on the brick stack on two sides so that I could let go and use both hands on the bees.
I had to remove some of the top comb as I could tell that the sheer weight of honey would compress down and may squash the queen.
I used a long blade and cut the comb from the brickwork
View attachment 1870

Carefully transferring the cut comb my box.View attachment 1871

There were still many bees on the inside brick flue face. I waited until they gathered into clumps and reaching down inside the flue I gently brushed them down into a small box and quickly added them to my swarm box.

Swarm box now tied securely to the adjacent chimney pot until duskView attachment 1872

Here you can see obvious bee activity confirming that I may be lucky and have the queenView attachment 1873

 

[MrB]

wow! thats fantastic, thanks for sharing it

 

[Haughton Honey]

How fantastic!

Brilliant photos and great ingenuity with regards to your device.

 

[VEG]

Great cut out and some good pics as well. You will have to patent the thingamejig.

 

[Brosville]

Superbluous! - ingenuity, photography, and the excellent people who didn't take the easy/cheap poison route - bouquets all round job!

 

[jimbeekeeper]

You will have to patent the thingamejig.

I said it was a Yorkshire thingie

 

[margob99]

Clever!

What're you going to call it? How about "The Yorkshire Flue Bottom Blaster"?