Beanwood
House Bee
- Joined
- Sep 11, 2011
- Messages
- 331
- Reaction score
- 1
- Location
- Just North of Bristol
- Hive Type
- 14x12
- Number of Hives
- 5 - 8
Recently I set-up a trap out for my next door neighbour, to try and entice a colony from his walls. I managed to get a small colony, complete with laying queen, but there were still a number left within the wall. So, I've taken the 'trapped' colony away for three weeks, and intend to fetch them back this evening.
Anyway, the originals still remained in the wall, and neighbor still doesn't want them there. Buoyed by my first apparent success, I put up a nuc box I had lying around, intending to put some fresh frames in later. However, following a few posts by Chris Luck, explaining his view of the world, I reconsidered, and decided not to bother, and let nature take it's course, (Or the pest control man if necessary). I removed the trap, but left the nuc box to collect some time later.
Well, blow me - I've gone to collect it today, and there's a frenzy of activity around the nuc entrance. On lifting the lid, there are bees completely covering a freshly drawn 14x12 and a shallow frame and trying to build wax comb on the national frame that I'd stripped the wax out of, but hadn't got around to doing anything else with.
It wasn't really a thorough inspection as such - but lots of honey (Uncapped) but no brood yet.
So who knows what I've got - another swarm from somewhere (Deffo not mine) or have half of the wall colony decided to split, and will I be so lucky as to get another laying queen ??
So, as ever, a few questions for you knowledgeable bunch if you wouldn't mind:
If the bees have only taken up residence in the last week, am I safe to move them 50 metres to my own apiary in one go, or do I have to go the three mile away route, then move them again after 3 or 4 weeks?
If moving them to my site, how far away from the other hives should they be for 'hygiene' purposes until I've properly assessed them, or doesn't it really matter? (They're only 50m currently!)
Finally - how long should I leave them before a proper inspection? (I don't want to disturb more than necessary, but need to see what I'm dealing with).
Thanks for reading - I hope I've included all the relevant information - any thoughts or assistance welcome.
Anyway, the originals still remained in the wall, and neighbor still doesn't want them there. Buoyed by my first apparent success, I put up a nuc box I had lying around, intending to put some fresh frames in later. However, following a few posts by Chris Luck, explaining his view of the world, I reconsidered, and decided not to bother, and let nature take it's course, (Or the pest control man if necessary). I removed the trap, but left the nuc box to collect some time later.
Well, blow me - I've gone to collect it today, and there's a frenzy of activity around the nuc entrance. On lifting the lid, there are bees completely covering a freshly drawn 14x12 and a shallow frame and trying to build wax comb on the national frame that I'd stripped the wax out of, but hadn't got around to doing anything else with.
It wasn't really a thorough inspection as such - but lots of honey (Uncapped) but no brood yet.
So who knows what I've got - another swarm from somewhere (Deffo not mine) or have half of the wall colony decided to split, and will I be so lucky as to get another laying queen ??
So, as ever, a few questions for you knowledgeable bunch if you wouldn't mind:
If the bees have only taken up residence in the last week, am I safe to move them 50 metres to my own apiary in one go, or do I have to go the three mile away route, then move them again after 3 or 4 weeks?
If moving them to my site, how far away from the other hives should they be for 'hygiene' purposes until I've properly assessed them, or doesn't it really matter? (They're only 50m currently!)
Finally - how long should I leave them before a proper inspection? (I don't want to disturb more than necessary, but need to see what I'm dealing with).
Thanks for reading - I hope I've included all the relevant information - any thoughts or assistance welcome.
