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nutclough Nurse Bee
Joined: 22 Apr 2010 Posts: 44 Location: UK West Yorkshire Hebden Bridge
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Posted: Mon May 26, 2014 7:30 pm Post subject: Need to move my spare hive, but there are wasps in it. |
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Hi everyone,
Just got home late to a swarm (third this month) in my garden. I'll need a scaffold tower to get it from the tree, but my main problem is that my final spare hive needs to be moved and I've just discovered a wasp nest in it. It's not very big, about 4 inches across but I'm allergic to wasp stings.
Any ideas?
I've considered emptying the swarm into the TBH anyway and seeing what happens, but the hive is on a grumpy persons land and I should have moved it off months ago.
Also, how long can you keep a swarm in a cardboard box before putting them in their new hive? Do you need to do it the same evening that you catch them?
Thanks. |
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Dexter's shed Scout Bee
Joined: 16 May 2014 Posts: 307 Location: Grays, Essex, UK
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Posted: Mon May 26, 2014 9:01 pm Post subject: |
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get someone who aint allergic or scared, wait until its dark, then with gloves on an a plastic bag, simply place bag over nest and pull the neck tight with a zip tie, remove as far away as possible, then either destroy the wasp's or release and run
have done quite a few this way in roof voids |
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nutclough Nurse Bee
Joined: 22 Apr 2010 Posts: 44 Location: UK West Yorkshire Hebden Bridge
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Posted: Mon May 26, 2014 10:37 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks.
I've decided that there are enough colonies in my garden for now and have found two possible homes.
One would involve moving the wasps and taking the hive to someone's garden, tomorrow (or tomorrow night). The other would be to simply use an empty top bar in the next town.
If we go for option one, I'm still looking for an answer to how long can a swarm live in a cardboard box for?
I think we'll probably go for option 2 which may be less disruption for the bees and the wasps. |
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Dexter's shed Scout Bee
Joined: 16 May 2014 Posts: 307 Location: Grays, Essex, UK
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Posted: Tue May 27, 2014 2:39 am Post subject: |
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nutclough wrote: |
If we go for option one, I'm still looking for an answer to how long can a swarm live in a cardboard box for?
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as short a time as possible, think about it, they will start building comb, that may or may not fall off from cardboard, you may not be able to transfer it over to a hive,
they may not like living in a box, and leave, a large plastic flower pot with top bars laid across the top and a small entrance cut out would be better than a box, top bars could then be transferred into a TBH with comb attached, am sure phil did a video of such a set up if your search for it |
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J Smith Foraging Bee
Joined: 13 Jan 2014 Posts: 169 Location: New Zealand, South Island, Southland, Riversdale.
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Posted: Tue May 27, 2014 4:02 am Post subject: |
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Theoretically, it is possible for bees to live in a cardboard box- until either the weather or the bees chewing on it makes the box fall apart.
Not really a long term solution- hived as soon as possible is the best bet, before they start making comb.
Good advice re: plastic bag and wasp nest. Only thing I would add is, if approaching at night in the dark, use a red lens (red cellophane over a head lamp)as wasps can get a bit defensive around white light at night. You could place the sealed bag in the freezer to dispose of the living contents.
Not sure what type of wasps you have, but we have German wasps here that visit hives, kill bees and cart them back home to feed the kids..... so cohabitation is not an ideal scenario. |
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Dexter's shed Scout Bee
Joined: 16 May 2014 Posts: 307 Location: Grays, Essex, UK
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Quality Top Bar Hives by Andrew Vidler
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Conserving wild bees
Research suggests that bumble bee boxes have a very low success rate in actually attracting bees into them. We find that if you create an environment where first of all you can attract mice inside, such as a pile of stones, a drystone wall, paving slabs with intentionally made cavities underneath, this will increase the success rate.
Most bumble bee species need a dry space about the size a football, with a narrow entrance tunnel approximately 2cm in diameter and 20 cm long. Most species nest underground along the base of a linear feature such as a hedge or wall. Sites need to be sheltered and out of direct sunlight.
There is a spectacular display of wild bee hotels here
More about bumblebees and solitary bees here
Information about the Tree Bumblebee (Bombus hypnorum)
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