Converting WBC to 12x14

[domino]

The field neighbouring me has got three old WBC hives in it. They've been empty for years but this year a swarm seems to have moved into it and the land owner wants the bees gone but the hives to remain.

I had a look at them and they have old boxes of frames which the bees have filled at a fair old rate.

There is no vehicle access, so I'm going to have to wheelbarrow the hive to the new site.

I've got both woodern and ploy hives I could use, but having never used a WBC I'm a little unsure how best to remove the bees.

I was tempted to just shake them into a poly nuc with a broad box onto or try and move them onto new frames in a less dramatic manner.

Tips and hints welcome.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

No idea what a broad box is but WBC's will probably be nationals - if you can I would move all the frames on site inot a national brood box (14x12 would do) and move them away before either shook swarming them or putting your preferred size brood box and frames on top an waiting for them to move up.

 

[kerryfree]

Hi Domino, I've had a look at how they're made, I don't use them personally but have talked to my bee mentor about them recently. It looks, although I don't have personal experience of them, as though you could just remove the inner frames and put them into your poly. Then there would be very minimal disruption for the bees, I suggest the poly hive because if you have to use a wheelbarrow they are lighter. But then might not fit into the barrow. Then you could reconstruct the outer hive so the farm owner would be happy.
Let us know how it goes and how you do it : )

 

[itma]

The frames in a WBC are standard Nationals, but the boxes take one less frame (so the boxes aren't square like Nationals). 14x12 versions of the WBC do exist, but perhaps surprisingly are comparatively rare.

The old frames are likely to be well 'braced' in place with wax and propolis, and the frames themselves should be expected to be distinctly fragile.
Hence cheese-wire (to cut between boxes) and a long serrated knife (for separating frame from box, etc) should be part of your toolkit.
Don't expect to shake bees off the frames - the greater likelihood is that the frame will fall to pieces. Try and shift the frames to your boxes, and then transport them away. // ADDED - the idea being to do something like a Bailey comb change AFTER you have removed the bees from the site where they are not wanted. //
But be prepared (as though for a cut out) with rubber bands, string, even wire mesh, in case the frames are disintegrating.

WBC floors (and the relatively flimsy boxes hidden inside the pagoda cladding) do have a bit of a reputation for rotting - so be prepared for absolutely anything to break when you try and move it!


Don't forget to explain to the landowner that the remains of the old hives will attract swarms (bees love second-hand homes), so he may not be without bees in the hives for very long!

 

[Hebeegeebee]

Two bits of plywood and you have a floor and crown board. The WBC brood box can be lifted onto a plywood floor on your barrow. Lid on (there should be a crown board in the hive in any case) and you can wheel the bees away. A couple of straps would be a good idea of course.
Standard Nat frames are used so might be easy - if you are very lucky. Bailey comb exchange would definitely make sense.

 

[Travelator]

The "itma method" (carefully transfer all frames to national box onsite, then move the national box) seems best to me.

The "heebeegeebee method" (use a temporary floor, remove lifts and move the WBC inner box) is also good, but I there are a couple of things to consider:

1. If there are multiple WBC inner boxes (eg. brood + super), the joints between boxes are unlikely to be bee tight. You will need copious quantities of gaffer tape to deal with this.

2. If you're planning to wait until the bees are indoors and move the hives overnight, you need something a bit more fancy than a sheep of plywood as a temporary floor. A national-style solid floor (sheet of plywood cut to WBC dimensions with batten on 3 edges) would be better.