# Bee tree trap out???



## AverageJo (Sep 24, 2010)

OK, I need ideas and suggestions on this one. The owners would like to keep the tree as it isn't dead yet. So I was hoping this could be a trap-out. The hive opening is 10+ foot up and the tree is around 4-5 foot circumfrence. I'm thinking of closing up the smaller entrance thereby forcing the girls to use the larger one. Put a cone on it so they can fly out but can't figure out how to get back in. I'd have to figure out a 'shelf' on the main trunk to put a hive body on. Could this hive be larger than a single hive body? Supposed to be 3 years old. Would I then need to swap the hive body or make it such that I could put an extra honey super on top? 

The queen won't come out, so I'd have to either re-queen them or put in frames of brood and eggs as well as pollen, etc. for them to build their own. Or am I wrong on this one?

Suggestions?? Thoughts??? :stars:


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## scrapiron (Jul 23, 2011)

What I do when in your situation is watch YouTube. Do a search for "honeybee trapout in tree" or something like that. Watch several videos and you get ideas on what will work best in your situation. Watch for videos by "JPthebeeman", he is pretty awesome. I have only done cutouts, so not much help.


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## tom j (Apr 3, 2009)

set the hive on a strap on tree stand ,, like used deer hunting ..


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## scrapiron (Jul 23, 2011)

One idea, the fork in the tree just above the hole looks wide enough to sit a nuc into. By the time you staple the cone on there, it should be close enough to work. It is going to be a heck of a task trying to ratchet strap a hive body to a tree that diameter. Good luck, and keep us informed on the progress.


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## AverageJo (Sep 24, 2010)

Just watched a youtube video where they smoked out a hive and vac'd them instead of doing a trap out. They ended up getting the queen to leave, too, as the bees started to cluster around the vac vent after a while. They let them cluster and then vac'd them up, too. Would that work with an established hive or just a new swarm going into a tree? One thought DH brought up was getting the hive body back OUT of the top of the tree. It will be heavy after a couple of weeks up there when the girls start to fill up the hive body or nuc box. A hose sucking them into a hive body on the ground wouldn't be as heavy. Thoughts? Suggestions?


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Make a platform out of 2x4's leave a bit sticking out one side you can put eye bolts thru and put agaqinest the tree, then install two 10 foot legs in the front part, lift and push it againest the tree useing a ratchet strap around the tree to the eye bolts to hold it there. 
Fasten the hive to a lite weight (1x2 boards) screen bottom board use a block and takle set up to get it on top of the platform and ratchet strap it to the platform so a good wind won't blow it off. Make sure the hive has a queen in it from the git go. check for full frames of honey every so often and remove the totally full ones to keep the weight down. When it comes time to remove the hive full of bees use a block and tackle again to lower it.

Smoking them may work but that would be a bunch of smoke to deal with.


 Al


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