Central Oregon Beekeeping Association - Questions and Options regarding a Price-style Trap-Out

Reply to: Questions and Options regarding a Price-style Trap-Out

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<blockquote>Kathryn Kerby wrote:

Hi Naomi, thanks for your reply.&nbsp; A few clarifications.&nbsp; We know it was a swarm because the homeowners saw it sit on the brick wall and then watched as it started filtering into the top of the wall, on May 29th of this year.&nbsp; I didn't find out about it until late June.&nbsp; I set up the trap-out on June 27th and I've been working with various trap-out designs ever since.

My first box design had the super snugged up against both the brick wall and the overhang of the structure.&nbsp; I abandoned that design because I couldn't see into the hive body very well to check on progress, even though I'd built full-width observation windows on the front/back of the hive box.&nbsp; The bees also found all sorts of ways out of that box because I had a hard time sealing it up against the uneven surface of the overhang.&nbsp; That's when I went with tubing from the entrance down to the vestibule, and again from the vestibule into the hive body.&nbsp; Now I can open the hive and check frames whenever I choose to.&nbsp; I've included several pictures to show those two designs.&nbsp; My latest improvement was to increase the diameter of the tube running from the house nest to the vestibule, and improve the vestibule design.&nbsp; I don't happen to have a picture of those improvements yet but I'll get some on my next visit.

On my latest visit yesterday, I finally saw some housekeeping activity in my trap hive.&nbsp; Just to verify that it wasn't lingering robbers, I actually disconnected that tubing and watched as bees calmly walked down the tube from the in-house hive to my hive box.&nbsp; So I reconnected the tubing, refilled feeders, closed everything up, and I'll recheck in a few days.&nbsp; Maybe after all the obstacles we've had this year, and finally blocking off all the other entrances, they're starting to move into the hive box.&nbsp; I'm going to leave it set up for a least another few weeks to see how this plays out.

That being said, I'm still curious whether leaving the hive up all winter long is a good idea, or a waste of time.&nbsp; I've attached a few pictures of the first and second setups.
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