BEEKEEPING
Catch box transfers
I
f you use a catch box to
attract and capture swarms
to increase your number
of active hives, you need to
have the next stage of the
operation in place, ie hives,
An article in our series on beekeeping by Peter
Clark of the Eastern Highveld Beekeepers Assoc
ready before you deploy the
catch box.
That's because the small five
frame catch box, if it is
successful in attracting an
itinerant swarm in search of a
new home, can fill rather
rapidly with bees and if
neglected, the bees will
swarm off again because of a
lack of developing space.
Thus, as soon as you notice
activity around your catch box
(which you should monitor
regularly), the swarm needs to
be hived ~ quite a simple
undertaking.
Have prepared a brood
chamber with attached floor
and five frames, each fitted
with a 20mm strip of foundation wax set in the groove of
the top bars of the frames.
Gently smoke the entrance of
the catch box and move it
away and place the new
brood box in its place. After
30 seconds gently prise the lid
open with your hive tool. It
could be well stuck down, so
a little pressure will be
required.
With the hive tool gently lift
each frame from the catch
box and transfer it into the
centre of the new brood
chamber in the same
sequence as they were in the
catch box. Work slowly and
gently so as not to injure any
bees.
There will be bees left in the
catch box after the frames
have been removed.
Gently turn the box upside
down over the frames in the
brood chamber and give one
firm thump on the catch box.
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www.sasmallholder.co.za
Catch box fastened to a tree
The bees will fall down on to
the frames.
Do not do a second thump as
it is this thump that kills bees
and the bees could become
upset and cross.
Should there still be some
bees in the catch box simply
leave the box open and
eventually the bees will move
over to their new home.
Place the lid over the new
brood box. Job complete!
Article by Peter Clark, author
of Tales of an African
Beekeeper and 2016 chairman of the Eastern Highveld
Beekeepers Association, tel
011 362-2904, assisted by
secretary Mike Alter tel 011
965-6040