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>Naomi Price wrote:

Hi Kathryn,

You definitely have your bee removal options reduced by the property owners’ ‘don’t do’ list. A couple of considerations before starting a trap out: The bees are usually more established within a structure before anyone notices them; and the colony is seldom located at the point of entry. A thermal imager is the perfect initial tool in determining actual colony location and determining the best removal approach.&nbsp;

Let’s do a checklist based on your provided information. 
1. The trap-collecting hive needs to be up against the structure’s bee entrance for the best exchange of colony pheromones. The colony could easily be up to 2’ from the visual entry point.&nbsp; 
 
2. A strong colony is represented by 3 deeps frames covered in bees, within 24 hours, once the trapping is in progress. This can be valuable information in suggesting a first swarm or afterswarm and queen status.

3. The first bees out will be foragers, so supplemental feeding, of any kind, isn’t needed.&nbsp;

4. Bees finding new entry points is a huge delay in a trap out. It can also be helpful to sprits Bee Quick, (or something similar) into the found entry before securing it closed. Many times smoking a colony out is used before a trap out method.&nbsp;

5. The best time to initiate a trap out is earliest part of swarm season.&nbsp;
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