"Chaos,Panic,Dilemma and A long story good for a laugh. + Plea 4 help

[Steve H]

Ok so I have wanted to keep bees for a while now, been on the forum for a couple of weeks or so. I think i have seen every video on u tube(SOOOOO facinating.
The story so far. Missus wanted me to build her some garden furniture, looking on the net for woodworking plans made some planters Etc.
Came across beehive plans. did some research to discover i would like to help the bees out, save the planet Etc and built a T.B.H.
Yes I am now aware that i could have made a better choice but I'm tight (From scraps( I'm a tight sod Remember) & wanting bees for awhile). made some swarm traps (Had A few visitors(SCOUTS I think (cool to watch) any how swarm-traps built and nothing moving in. I then think it might be a good Idea to ask on FBook if anyone has some honey bees swarm into their back garden. I would be more than happy to take them away an give them a lovely new home. (The day before yesterday) low and behold more messages in a day than i have had all year so far. trip No 1. 1/2 mile up the road, go and have a look they are in the chimney on top of the roof,tell the home owner i'll be back with a couple of swarm traps to see if i can get them that way ?
Get back home to see another message saying bees in bird box in a pre school Call and arrange to collect them Tomorrow Tuesday Eve.
Back to to day, Day off work YEA. making said swarm traps for the guy up the road,original swarm trap hanging out on the fence. pop in to the kitchen to make a coffee, hear a faint buzzing noise( bear in mind I'm right between Heathrow airport and a local aerodrome that celebrated the weekend with an air show lots and lots of WW11 planes etc. now me being me and was into flying model air craft ran out in to the back garden to catch a glimpse of what i thought might be a DC3 or something like that in the distance literally ran into approximately ( I Have no real idea but the I swear the sky was darker a couple of 1000 bees. CHAOS now ensued I ran back indoors to get A my phone for recording said event B my suit which was hanging up in the living room.now i find that as im putting suit on the zip to the veil has managed to get BROKEN AGHHHH Kids I think Panic as i am determined to get some film I decide to be brave and forgo the suit (Needn't have worried they were not remotely interested in me PHEEEEWWWW)REMEMBER I'm NEW to all of this .
Slightly nervous and shaking i manage to get some very blurry and shaky video.
Soooooooo EXCITED.

I stood there and watched,still being brave 10/20 bees were bums up fanning frantically, Am I right in thinking this is a good sign and they are likely to stay.
Rushed in to post this. that was an hour and a bit ago now,I can only see a dozen or so bees flying around the entrance. but the entrance hole looks jam packed on the inside. and they seem to be swinging from side to side. just been out to check again ( so fantastic to look in the entrance) still seems to be busy in there.
Now to my Dilemma I Have no swarm boxes for the guy Up the road and i have no idea what to do about the wild hive in the pre-school.

Plus, is it as simple as the videos on U tube suggest, to move the bees from their new swarm box to the T.B.H. i suppose i could (I THINK )use the divider board in the T.B.H. and make it into 2 hives ? and get a national hive on payday.
ANY HELP OR SUGGESTIONS PLEASE, "PRETTY PLEASE" with sugar on top.

 

[Tremyfro]

You have had an exciting day!
I don't know much.....but the bees in the playground birdhouse are almost....but not definitely, bumble bees.....so you can relax about those...once you take a look to be sure. The bees in the chimney.....could be really tricky....they may have been there for years....or may just have got there. If they have been there a long time....unless you want to undertake building work.....
However, the bees in your Nuc??? Or TBH ???? Are already there....a bird in the hand....worth two in the bush!

 

[snelgrove]

bees in bird box will be bumblebees, what exactly is your swarm trap ?

 

[Anduril]

Bees in bird box likely to be bumbles. If you take bait boxes to your first call there is no guarantee they will move in. Depends how long they have been there.

 

[snelgrove]

Bees in bird box likely to be bumbles. If you take bait boxes to your first call there is no guarantee they will move in. Depends how long they have been there.

Highly unlikely I would think they made there joice

 

[Steve H]

my swarm trap

this is my swarm trap/bait box
top bars rubbed with beeswax and a couple of drops of lemongrass oil rubbed on the inside as an attractant.

 

[snelgrove]

this is my swarm trap/bait box
top bars rubbed with beeswax and a couple of drops of lemongrass oil rubbed on the inside as an attractant.

that's a nice bait hive and I can see how you caught a swarm very attractive, as for getting them into a national when established in your top Barr nuc not gonna be easy

 

[Steve H]

Hi,Guys thanks for the reassurance.
Tremyfro, the guy down the road says they have been there for a couple of months now probably moved in during the last warm spell. Have to be Honest the reason i told him I'd make some swarm traps was i don't want to climb on the roof and dig around in a chimney.
All seems to have gone a bit quiet now. a lot calmer and only a few bees going in and out.
not sure if I'm relived disappointed. Think the adrenaline rush is coming down now.

 

[Steve H]

That the funny bit .I had the bait hive up for a couple of weeks next to no interest, tell someone I will re-home their bees and the buggers move into the bait box for the guy up the road & totaly ignore the T.B.H.
Now I think I'm going to have to have problems. Either way, collecting the bees from the Pre-School = nowhere to hive them (was going to put them in the T.B.H.as I didn't have any bees at all, they must be London bus bees, Nothing then 2 together

 

[Tremyfro]

that's a nice bait hive and I can see how you caught a swarm very attractive, as for getting them into a national when established in your top Barr nuc not gonna be easy

I think he has a top bar hive....but he may have said he built atop bar Nuc.....?

 

[Steve H]

I suppose i have. i just took some bears from the T.B.H. and installed them in the bait box.
It seemed like a good idea at the time, forgive-me is this not a good idea then?
At the moment i cant afford a new national hive but plan on getting one ordered from TH****s( Bees on a budget) on pay day.

 

[Tremyfro]

Well it's not irretrievable......the bees will make free comb the shape of the Nuc box. If your Nuc box is a top bar Nuc..ie it has sloping sides...then you can transfer the comb to the top bar hive....carefully ...when the colony has grown a bit to fill the Nuc. If the Nuc has straight sides...they will build comb to fit it....and you may have to trim the comb to fit your top bar hive. However...if you intend using a national brood box...its best to use national frames from the start...easier to transfer. Many people let their bees grow their own comb...it is up to you....as beekeeper to give them the shape of what you want.

 

[Anduril]

Highly unlikely I would think they made there joice

That's what I said!

 

[Steve H]

Thanks for all the help guys, looks as if I'm going to busy for a while.
Just love my new hobby.
will keep you all posted,(I realize it may be frustrating answering so many questions on the forum)just so Excited

 

[BeeJayBee]

i just took some bears from the T.B.H. and installed them in the bait box. .

You didn't mention the bears before!

How did you manage to persuade them to squeeze themselves into the bait box?

 

[Steve H]

You didn't mention the bears before!

How did you manage to persuade them to squeeze themselves into the bait box?

LOl i forgot to say the were honey bears. see what happens when you forget to proof read

 

[snelgrove]

That's what I said!

I was typing while you posted!

 

[Steve H]

bees in bird box will be bumblebees, what exactly is your swarm trap ?

yep you were spot on bumbles