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Author Topic: colony in a tree  (Read 4711 times)

Offline jelder

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colony in a tree
« on: July 14, 2012, 09:50:34 pm »
a friend has just told me that he found a colony of bees in a conifer tree in his yard, he sent me a photo showing about 6 sheets of honey comb, not very big, hanging from a branch.  i would say that they have been there since earlier this year, he said he has seen some activity around the wax. he knows i am on the lookout for another colony.  the question i have is should i remove it now and house them, i dont think they will up stakes and leave any time soon, also when would be the best time to remove them if thats the case.     
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Offline the-ecohouse.com

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Re: colony in a tree
« Reply #1 on: July 15, 2012, 11:53:51 am »
i'd grab it on a warm day, .....that could be hard in Tassie :)

Offline jelder

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Re: colony in a tree
« Reply #2 on: July 15, 2012, 11:33:28 pm »
average temp around 13-14 degrees C i may wait for a few weeks
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Offline bernsad

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Re: colony in a tree
« Reply #3 on: July 16, 2012, 12:00:35 am »
I would have thought it better to get them in a nice warm box then hanging out in a tree in a Hobart winter. Are the in a cavity in the tree or just in the tree?

Offline jelder

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Re: colony in a tree
« Reply #4 on: July 16, 2012, 12:58:06 am »
no just under the canopy of the tree
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Offline bernsad

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Re: colony in a tree
« Reply #5 on: July 16, 2012, 01:05:22 am »
Then they've got to be better off in a box protected from the elements.

Offline OzBuzz

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Re: colony in a tree
« Reply #6 on: July 17, 2012, 02:04:46 am »
I'd suggest leaving them - they've been doing fine until now - going and pulling all the comb sheets apart can cost a lot of energy both in keeping things warm and also in repairing damaged comb...

Offline bernsad

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Re: colony in a tree
« Reply #7 on: July 17, 2012, 02:35:01 am »
I agree about the expense of energy at this time of year but what if you removed the hive intact from the tree and mounted the branch in a box? You could possible put a super above with drawn comb, with any luck they'll start filling it or moving up into it.

Offline OzBuzz

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Re: colony in a tree
« Reply #8 on: July 17, 2012, 04:57:16 am »
The theory sounds great - I tried that one day! The mess they made was crazy and it was more detrimental to them than if I'd left them in place until conditions were better

Offline bernsad

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Re: colony in a tree
« Reply #9 on: July 17, 2012, 05:03:20 am »
Well, every theory needs testing. Thanks for being the guinea pig. :roll:

Offline OzBuzz

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Re: colony in a tree
« Reply #10 on: July 17, 2012, 05:34:36 am »
Haha absolutely agreed! That's why I tried it... Never again  :)

Offline jelder

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Re: colony in a tree
« Reply #11 on: July 17, 2012, 11:14:05 pm »
alas bad news, on closer examination all the bees around the comb were dead.  such is the way of things......bum
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Offline Lone

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Re: colony in a tree
« Reply #12 on: July 19, 2012, 08:45:58 am »
Too bad, Jelder.  The inhospitable Tasmanian snow sleet hail and frost has probably cryogenically preserved those few bees.  It has always amazed me that your patch of frozen tundra can support any life..  ;)

Had the colony been viable I would have suggested boxing them ASAP and moving them to Queensland to thaw out.  I don't think it would take much to knock an external colony in winter there.

Are you on a swarm catcher list there?  You might find a few swarms around when Spring comes.

Lone