Excellent content... Hopefully this will be very helpful.. Loaded the 2nd Commander a couple days ago and finally saw a couple honey bees on some flowers.. Keeping fingers crossed.
The way I like to empty out the swarm trap of leftover bees after transfer is to set it down into the empty section of the hive (no lid of course) and let them meander out and join their sisters at will. I then remove that box a day or two later with next to no bees in it.
@@SuburbanSodbuster That would be a sure fire way to bring the beetles in as well, I have just been leaning the trap up against the hive and letting them crawl in themselves which works well if the queen is inside.
I have 9 layens hives with bees in them now, when I built the hives I made them with a peaked roof that hinges. There is a 2x4 cut 46 inches long on top screwed from the bottom up that has an angle on top for the top roof which has barn metal cut and with the edges bent, it slides on from one end. The roof over hangs the back and front about 4 inches and 5 inches at the end. This way the sides of the box don't see much water unless the wind is blowing hard I found I like it better if I cover the unused side with pieces of plywood about 5 inches wide so when I lift the lid there are no bees up in the top. They open up from the back so the roof acts like a wall on the front side. I also added foam weather stripping on the bottom of the roof to help keep the beetles out. That way the only way the beetles can get inside is through the entrance, I have a short piece of 1 1/4 pvc tube which I machine down to fit the entrance and the outside is tapered to a fine edge to keep the beetles from crawling in as well. I still get some beetles but the bees seem to manage to drive them into the open side where I get the pleasure of smashing them. The bees don't seem to mind me opening the lid and killing the beetles so I hardly ever wear protection when doing so.
Although the main swarm season is in the spring, swarms can happen throughout the year. The spring swarm season generally coincides with the nectar flow, with more swarms occurring earlier than later. I can't speak for middle Tennessee, but here in Missouri we're on the tail end of our season. Swarms caught later in the year may require some additional help to get started and to prepare for winter.
Never mind. I should have watched the whole video. Thank you gentlemen! Great video!
Excellent content... Hopefully this will be very helpful.. Loaded the 2nd Commander a couple days ago and finally saw a couple honey bees on some flowers.. Keeping fingers crossed.
Thanks for listing! Bee watching!!
You said "several", Several is 3 miles. Doesn't it need to be moved at least 6? Just curious.
The way I like to empty out the swarm trap of leftover bees after transfer is to set it down into the empty section of the hive (no lid of course) and let them meander out and join their sisters at will. I then remove that box a day or two later with next to no bees in it.
That's a good idea, and might save my frames. 😁
@@SuburbanSodbuster That would be a sure fire way to bring the beetles in as well, I have just been leaning the trap up against the hive and letting them crawl in themselves which works well if the queen is inside.
I have 9 layens hives with bees in them now, when I built the hives I made them with a peaked roof that hinges. There is a 2x4 cut 46 inches long on top screwed from the bottom up that has an angle on top for the top roof which has barn metal cut and with the edges bent, it slides on from one end. The roof over hangs the back and front about 4 inches and 5 inches at the end. This way the sides of the box don't see much water unless the wind is blowing hard I found I like it better if I cover the unused side with pieces of plywood about 5 inches wide so when I lift the lid there are no bees up in the top. They open up from the back so the roof acts like a wall on the front side. I also added foam weather stripping on the bottom of the roof to help keep the beetles out. That way the only way the beetles can get inside is through the entrance, I have a short piece of 1 1/4 pvc tube which I machine down to fit the entrance and the outside is tapered to a fine edge to keep the beetles from crawling in as well. I still get some beetles but the bees seem to manage to drive them into the open side where I get the pleasure of smashing them. The bees don't seem to mind me opening the lid and killing the beetles so I hardly ever wear protection when doing so.
About how late in the year will they swarm in middle Tennessee?
Although the main swarm season is in the spring, swarms can happen throughout the year. The spring swarm season generally coincides with the nectar flow, with more swarms occurring earlier than later. I can't speak for middle Tennessee, but here in Missouri we're on the tail end of our season. Swarms caught later in the year may require some additional help to get started and to prepare for winter.
@@SuburbanSodbuster And additional help may mean feeding (honey or sugar as a last resort) and or even uniting with a stronger colony.
@@SuburbanSodbuster Thanks, I appreciate you taking the time to put out these very helpful videos.