Removed the bee trap

Today I pulled the trap as there was no activity of bees anywhere.  Looks like they didn't like the alternative hive and went elsewhere.  Checked around but found no activity except a few flight bees down the street.  I was hired to remove the bees and that is what happened, although I could have used the extra for the nasty hive.  Not much else is happening.  Later

Bee trap successful

Checked the trap this morning and found that there were no bees around the old entrance.  Put up the ladder and removed the transfer tube and found nothing inside to old hive.  Will keep in place for another week to be sure than will remove the alternative hive and take home.  Will have to mix with the nasty hive as they will not have time to secure enough winter stores.  Later

Staples clean of bees

  Stopped by Staples Sunday PM and found only three bees inside.  Went back Monday and found none.  Guess it was the conduit that they were entering from and it took a couple of days to clear after I stopped it up.

  Bees were hanging around the old hive entrance so I put up the ladder and checked.  I missed a small opening with the caulk so a few were going in and out.  Fixed that and within an hour most had abandoned  the area and began using the alternative hive entrance.  Will check on progress every week or so till they make the transfer completely.

  Been getting a lot of calls concerning Paper wasps, surprising how many people can't tell the difference between wasps and honey bees.  It takes a long time to convince them what they really are after they describe them to me.  I even had one person send me an email photo of a paper wasp nest and telling me that a beekeeper from upstate had identified it as a honey bee nest.  Probably, you know who.  Later

Flurry of activity in Nasty hive

What a turn around since I fixed the insulation blanket problem in the hive.  Today for the first time, almost exactly 21 days since it was discovered the insulation was missing, bees are circling at the entrance.  There's still hope for recovery if the nectar flows.  Last night I saw bees clinging to the top of the second brood box and all the top bars seem to have comb.

Attached the connecting tube to the bee trap this morning and saw bees coming out of the trap a little later.  Wanted to do it before they came out for the morning hunt but Staples didn't open early so a lot of bees circling the old entrance.  Eventually they will move to the smell of the new hive.  More bees showing up inside so I'll be vacuuming them up for awhile I guess.  Still can't find the way they are getting in, has to be through a conduit, but which one?  Later

Second visit to Staples

Went to Staples this morning and installed the bee trap and plugged all the entry holes, turned out to be 5 altogether and they were even going into a conduit for the security light (which I plugged).  When that was completed I went back inside, kind of knowing that now that the bees in the conduit can't get back outside they would be inside.  Guess what?  back home to get the vac, which I knew I should have brought with me.  Came back and found and removed about a hundred bees.  Will check back in the AM to see if that's the lot of them.  I didn't make the final connection to the trap as I wanted to do that after dark when they were all back at the nest.

All the bees I loosed yesterday in the back yard decided life was better elsewhere and flew the coop.  Maybe they assimilated into the other hives, or just flew off, either way they are not a Staples problem anymore.  Knowing that I work without protection, the staff has become brave and come into the storage area when I'm working to check things out.  Maybe they think I'm their great protector!!!  Later

Hurrah, First official paid bee removal

Got a call from the local Staples on Monday morning saying that their storage room was full of bees and was I able to remove them.  Of course I obliged.  Visited the site and found that an exterior security light had come loose providing a perfect entry point into the concrete block cavity.  Recently a bunch decided to explore and found an entry into the store.  Luckily it was in the storage area and as they were attracted to the lights, would make an easy removal process.  Went back home and gathered my gear but unfortunately I came down with the flu and was laid up for a day.  The staff were still overwhelmed to see me when I finally arrived for the removal because they were afraid to go into the room with so many bees.  They hadn't been stocking the shelves for 2 days.  Set up the equipment and in 3 hrs had the place clean,(except for a few stragglers of course).   Went out back to access the second stage for removal of the hive bees and queen if possible.  Will set up the trap later in the week.

Will put the new bees I caught in with the nasty hive, that's four different mixes of bees for that hive.  Since I found and fixed the insulation blanket, the bees in the Nasty hive have really responded and have added four new comb and many, many new bees.  They seem to be non-stop bringing in pollen for the brood.  I guess they know its late in the season and really want to make it through the winter.

Took off the super I placed on the TBH as the bees refused to work it.  My guess is there isn't enough nectar around this summer as the hive combs are full only about 3 inches down, even on the ends.  So much for that experiment. Later