Tiny External Colony

[JP]

Schawee drove over today to get some bees but we struck out three times!

One colony that had been living in a two story vacant house absconded.

Another we could not locate where the colony was exactly, likely between a floor joist and a sill, but to access them aluminum siding will have to be removed and maybe a joist. I will need to go back with my repair guy to investigate further.

Even tried looking through several holes in two different walls to no avail with the borescope.

Third is the minuscule external colony we looked at about three weeks ago. We were going to transfer them into a nuc but it needs to grow some before the attempt.

This little colony has only two comb sections attached to a tree.


...JP


Tiny Honey Bee Colony

[hardwood]

Hey Ya'll! Have you ever thought about placing a nuc with old drawn comb with the entrance against the trunk of the tree to try to entice them in? I've been getting calls from a utilities company for bees in water meter boxes and it's always the same...very small colonies that have established around the meter within the last month (between readings).  I have to get them before they spray them and survival rates are really low, maybe 3-4 out of ten. I've been toying with the idea of trying to get them established in a nuc for a while but often times would not have the luxury of time.

Could ya'll try my experiment for me on the tree if you have the time? I'm thinking a week or two might do it...all they would need to do is get used to the hive body and start bringing in nectar/pollen...you can transfer queenie.

Scott

[annette]

I enjoyed this video very much and this is a bit different. I never would think to let a colony build up on a tree before removing them. I enjoyed watching the bees drinking up the honey, it was so, so sweet how you guys treated these bees.

Thanks again for this wonderful video.

Annette

[annette]

Oops!

[JP]

Hey Ya'll! Have you ever thought about placing a nuc with old drawn comb with the entrance against the trunk of the tree to try to entice them in? I've been getting calls from a utilities company for bees in water meter boxes and it's always the same...very small colonies that have established around the meter within the last month (between readings).  I have to get them before they spray them and survival rates are really low, maybe 3-4 out of ten. I've been toying with the idea of trying to get them established in a nuc for a while but often times would not have the luxury of time.

Could ya'll try my experiment for me on the tree if you have the time? I'm thinking a week or two might do it...all they would need to do is get used to the hive body and start bringing in nectar/pollen...you can transfer queenie.

Scott

That's not a bad idea at all Scott, will give it some thought.


...JP

[AllenF]

Plump butt, that's funny.  With feeding an open hive like that on the tree, could the hive in the shed start robbing them?

[Storm]

Nice video, guys.  I've got a tiny swarm I'm dealing with right now.  Unfortunately, they had all the bad breaks... when I got there, it was late evening, and they were on a driveway.  Ants were starting to get to them, so leaving them there wasn't an option.  Then two days after taking them home, a freak storm blew the nuc over, and killed the queen.  They made an emergency queen cell, and seem as determined as your girls here to keep rebuilding... I guess you never know.

As always, thanks a million for the videos!

[JP]

Gonna use Scott's idea and attach a medium nuc to the tree right up against the hive. This way I can give them a medium honey frame and drawn comb. Will keep you all updated as to their progress and will video the set up.


...JP

[Pillpeddler]

Hey JP,
Thanks to you and all your friends for the excellent videos you shoot.  I wish I'd have looked at them before I tried my first cutout.  Have you done a video explaining how and why you set things up?   Most of you extremely informed and experienced beeks take for granted knowledge that us newbees haven't been clued into.  The equipment you use, how and when to use it.  Stuff like that.  I'm trying to look up all of the videos all of you guys and gals have done but a dry sponge doesn't absorbe well :-\  Good to see people with genuine interest and concern for these critters.   God Bless.

Pill