Natural Beekeeping International Forum

[beeb]

Hello Everyone,
I'm feeling sorry for my bees right now as they are having a rough ride!....I'm an absolute beginner and removed my first swarm (from under a letter box) into a makeshift home(polystyrene box) as I was not prepared....(I had not yet made up a box)..I got handfulls of the swarm into the box and left them for an hour to move in but when I came back they had regrouped under the letterbox as the wind had tipped the box over....I left them there over night and came back next morning with a newly made box with frames and moved them into it. ..I drove them to where I wanted to put the hive (On someone else's property) and placed the hive on a milk crate etc ..got the hive level etc and left them to it....Got a phone call to say the hive tipped in the wind yet again...(bad weather)...Yes I had placed a weight on top but the wind was gale force...Went out to attend and replaced the hive and straightened the frames.....Got another phone call to ask if I could relocate the hive as I had placed the hive too close to the tracter path....OK....Went back out and relocated the hive approx 50 mtrs and hoped that they will not abscond.....Went back a week later to find that Ants were all over the hive..Jees!...So now I'm wondering if I can move them a short distance yet again in the hope to avoid ants in the new location.....I'm beginning to think they would be better off to abscond and leave me to it!! Lol

[Ollie]

Hi and welcome.

Really sounds like the bees came too soon but expect you realise that. Always best to be fully prepared with equipment before you start a job. I don't have trouble with ants in Ireland so just a thought.. Ive seen it done on hives on u tube where they paint oil around the legs of the hive stand to prevent the ants but what about pouring some old oil around the hive on the ground, that might deter them. Sounds like the bees have been moved allot.

Anyway one the experienced beeks should be along soon enough to give good advice. I know how you feel though when the bees come first. Since I got my first hive in july 15 Ive been busy making new hives, 3 of which are occupied and one other hive bought with bees in. If you've made this hive then Id get and make more before you get any more swarms descending on you.

All the best and good luck

Ollie

[beeb]

Thanks for your comments Ollie but they have absconded..too much for them to deal with!..Good news though I have beezs interested in a trap I set close by..could even be them?..Who Knows!!

[AndyC]

I've had that twice too.

First time I left the box I had collected a swarm in right in front of the hive because there were a few bees left in it and the next morning they had taken up residence in the box again.

I shook them back into the hive ensuring the queen was not left in the box and put a QX on the hive for a few days.

The second time I shook a swarm into a box and left it on the ground for the stragglers and they were back in the shrub the following morning when I could get back to them.

I shook them into the box again and moved it about three feet away from the shrub and put a white board under the entrance.

That night I closed the box up and moved it to the apiary.

On ants hive legs in pots of water does it and I have read that ground cinnamon deters them too.

[beeb]

Thanks Andy I´ll try the cinnamon as I have lots of it