Guilfordbeekeepers.org

For those of you who perform trap-outs and cut-outs "for hire", how do you go about determining the cost you charge a client? Do you have a set fee, charge by the hour, etc.?

Related to that, is there any reason a trap-out this time of year would not be successful (assuming I'll combine the bees with another small colony I have)?

You may want to check with Mark Case. His number is in the swarm list on our website.

Fall Trap-out Lesson #1: this should have been obvious, but turns out that the same resources that are meant to attract the trapped-out bees you want also attract nearby robbers!!! So on day #2 when I added a frame of honey and a frame of eggs/brood, robbers quickly found it and overwhelmed the half frame of bees, leaving a bunch of dead bees and totally empty frames...

Not exactly sure what to do now, other than sit back and hope for the best. Any advice out there?

I never tried a trap out this late in the season. Your robbing issue does make sense--a weak, queenless hive with resources the bees cannot protect. I don't know if a shim and sugar brick on the bait hive would be less tempting to robbers, but it may put out less scent. I would be afraid to try any pollen patty in it because of SHB.

Who suggested a frame of honey? In 20 years of trapping, I never recommended honey, only a frame containing eggs. If you want to feed the trap, do so 100 feet away.

Ha - that's a great question Wally. I have a feeling that's something I made up on my own! In my mind I was probably thinking they would need immediate resources due to the time of year, but never once did I consider the impact of robbing. Since this was my first attempted trap-out in the fall, now I know better...