Full report, canale trapout

I checked on the Height's canale trapout with a fantastic fellow beekeeper today and discovered it wasn't trapping a darned thing. We spent a good hour tightening all the seams so that the bees could get out and not back in. I should probably start experimenting with different adhesives besides exterior caulking because half the trap was hanging loose. It might not have been sticking well because of all the torrential rain we've had the last week pouring through the canale, or roof water spout.

I also discovered that the queen hadn't been released from her cage. She was still alive and kicking. Amazing, considering that I have had 5 queens die mysteriously on me in the last 2 weeks! I know, call me a wah-mbulance. I can't stop moaning about this!

To release the queen, we completely opened up the cage and the queen crawled right out into the hive. It's been 6 days and by now the bees have accepted their new queen. I could not say this the first day I installed her cage into the hives. The bees were trying to sting her to death through the metal mesh.

The bees started building comb onto the queen cage. If all goes well at this point, The bees will establish a hive in my trap box and eventually the hive inside the parapet, or roof wall won't be able to support itself.