Lucky coincidence!

We have about 3-1/2 weeks to go before we pick up our nucs. We have our equipment (including some backup hives ready for splits etc.) ready to go short of placing them outside.
Today, I was out in the pasture on thistle patrol, I stopped to pull up some thistle and noticed some bugs flying around. I looked and noticed even more bugs. Bees ! I noticed there was quite a few around the tree about 20 feet from me. I walked over to the tree to look and noticed a hole in the tree. I ALREADY HAVE BEES AND DIDN’T KNOW IT ! Apparently, they have made a hive in the tree. I have no idea how long they have been there. Hopefully, not long.
Soooooo… I decided to try to bait them into a box ! I went to work moving equipment out by the tree. I set the box up directly in front of the opening in the tree and about 15 feet away. Of course, I did place lure in the box. If I am lucky, maybe they will move out of the tree and into the box.
I am attaching pictures of the setup.
Suggestions or comments ?

I have a video of the bees going in and out of the tree. Unfortunately, the system won’t allow uploading. @Bianca

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Wow! What kind of lure did you use?

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The bees wont leave the tree, then go into your box. You can make a trap-out, by way of a one-way bee valve. Set it up early one morning, then have a frame of open brood resting next to the trap-out. Once the frame of brood is completely covered with bees, place it into your box. Then sit the box entrance next to the trap-out, with the lid slightly open, so that the bees have 2 openings to choose from. Make sure the bees don’t find another opening in the tree. Also make sure the bees don’t block the cone of the trap-out or start using it as an entrance.

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@claire_c The package lure from MannLake. You can see in the jar on top of the hive.

@JeffH The tips are appreciated. I figured they probably won’t come out of the tree and into the box. Wishful thinking. But, if by chance they do, that would be great.
Regarding the brood comb, I don’t have any bees or comb. That is a thought for the future when I do. I will be getting my nucs in about 3 weeks. After that, I should have those resources.
Not being sure of how long they have been in that tree, maybe it’s temporary for them and I get lucky. If not, if I leave the box there until they swarm, maybe I will catch the swarm.
At best, I think it would be quite difficult to block the opening in the tree. If you look at the pic, the opening is a long, vertical, uneven slot. Also, just above the slot and a little to the right, is a small round hole they are using also. Uncertain whether or not there are additional openings.
I will look at it more in the daylight and see if it seems feasible to use the one-way in that opening. Still, it would be without a brood frame. (I still haven’t made any local connections).
Can a queen get thru a one-way ?

Hi Sam, no the queen wont come through the one-way. She will stay in the hive, with the brood. The bees that come out will be foraging bees, as well as bees doing their orientation flight. The frame of open brood will attract the trapped out bees after a short period of time. Then those bees will make a new queen with that brood.

I show a trap-out in the last half of this video we made about 5 years ago.

You can fit a piece of hose into a block of wood, like in my video. Then with bits of ply & whatever is needed, silicone or sponge runner, whatever you can do to block the rest of the hole, so that the bees can’t find another exit/entry…

It you want to lure a swarm into your box, it would be best if the box was positioned in the shade about 4 meters up a tree, away from natural predators.

cheers

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Thank you, much appreciated @JeffH

You’re welcome Sam. Like you say, it’s something you can do once you’ve got the resources. Let us know when you want to do it, there’s a few finer points I’ll share when the time comes.

cheers

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Okay @JeffH thank you - look forward to it

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Hi @Bianca , I’m replying to the comment that includes the video.

@Bianca
I believe this is the video (above) Jeffh was referring to.

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