Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => HONEYBEE REMOVAL => Topic started by: JP on January 30, 2009, 10:39:46 am

Title: Bees In A Tree In Narin, Louisiana
Post by: JP on January 30, 2009, 10:39:46 am
I removed bees from a dead tree that was pushed over in Narin, Louisiana, evening before last. Narin is approx 1 hr from my house. This is the story.

The guy called me a few weeks ago about another tree but the call went to voice mail and I got the call the morning after, so he called a competitor, who got that job.

Turns out the guy is a fishing charter captain out of Venice, Louisiana and targets mainly redish and speckled trout. I was po'd to say the least for not getting the original phonecall and in fact had my cellphone company look at a few things to see if they could tighten service up a bit.

Well he called me about 4 days ago about another tree with bees and I went down. Really nice guy and...

We made a trade for our services, so I will be treated to a great day of fishing once the weather and fishing get right. We will likely target big trout with top water baits when that gets rolling which is in late April or May depending on the weather.

This type of fishing is amazing as you work a bait back and forth slowly, letting it rest and working it again, its called "walking the dog". The big sow trout this kind of fishing targets, fish in the 2lb to sometimes 7-8lbs with 3-4 lbs being the average, usually hit the bait right after its been sitting and you just start working it again.

They come up from below with great speed and literally inhale the bait as they go airborne, water flying everywhere. It is not uncommon to see them leap 3-4 feet above the water with your lure in their large teeth filled mouths!

Anyway, I will take pics and post them after the trip.

As for the colony in the tree, I did not get a queen and am thinking she probably got smooshed when the tree fell. Shb were doing their thing as they do in such instances.

Gave them feed and will combine them with a nuc.

Pics: http://picasaweb.google.com/pyxicephalus/NarinLouisiana?authkey=4uGGskx6Z0k#


...JP
Title: Re: Bees In a Tree In Narin, Louisiana
Post by: iddee on January 30, 2009, 02:52:58 pm
If you haven't done it yet, I would wait a week to combine them. I know you know your bees, but it is unusual to see them march into a hive like that if there is no queen. She may be a small one you missed as she went in.
Title: Re: Bees In a Tree In Narin, Louisiana
Post by: JP on January 30, 2009, 04:16:23 pm
Iddee, I hear you loud and clear on that one. What I didn't say is how stubborn they were to go in the deep. Trust me on this, they did not want to go in that box, but I gave them no choice. I smoked them in.

The guy even asked me if I got the queen and I told him I was 99.9% sure I did not as I had to smoke the bejesus out of them to get them in.

Have a good one!


...JP
Title: Re: Bees In a Tree In Narin, Louisiana
Post by: bailey on January 30, 2009, 10:00:49 pm
bet the fish arent as big as the ones i showed you! :evil:

hope yall knock em dead!
bailey
Title: Re: Bees In a Tree In Narin, Louisiana
Post by: JP on January 30, 2009, 10:03:15 pm
Not nearly as big, but I'll take what I can get! When are we going again? Hint, hint. ;)


...JP
Title: Re: Bees In a Tree In Narin, Louisiana
Post by: Kathyp on January 30, 2009, 10:06:11 pm
how did you even get them close to the hive if you missed the queen?  when i miss one, seems the bees go everywhere but near the hive.   :(
Title: Re: Bees In a Tree In Narin, Louisiana
Post by: bailey on January 30, 2009, 10:09:23 pm
soon as i can get new tires on the boat we are gonna head back out to the deep water!
i expect the first trip to be in mid to late april just before i rig up for shrimp.
i assuma you are gonna come shrimpin with me right?

bailey
Title: Re: Bees In a Tree In Narin, Louisiana
Post by: JP on January 30, 2009, 10:12:36 pm
Can we do a little of both? I'm in either way though.


...JP
Title: Re: Bees In a Tree In Narin, Louisiana
Post by: bailey on January 30, 2009, 10:24:47 pm
cant fish with the nets on.  not enough room in the boat and the shrimping is done inshore.
we fish before shrimping season ( may ) and after the season ( late may till october )
but we will go afer both many times this summer!

gotta fill not only my freezer but yours too!
bailey
Title: Re: Bees In a Tree In Narin, Louisiana
Post by: JP on January 30, 2009, 10:27:09 pm
I'm now inspired to get a "big" freezer!


...JP
Title: Re: Bees In a Tree In Narin, Louisiana
Post by: bailey on January 30, 2009, 10:29:31 pm
if gas prices dont go up you will need a very big one!
but if you call me gump i am gonna put you overboard  :-D :evil:
bailey
Title: Re: Bees In a Tree In Narin, Louisiana
Post by: JP on January 30, 2009, 10:33:16 pm
Are you deserving of that title, I guess we shall see! If I go over you will watch me turn into Jesus mighty quickly!


...JP
Title: Re: Bees In a Tree In Narin, Louisiana
Post by: iddee on January 30, 2009, 10:35:26 pm
Hey, jp, is there room to pitch a tent in your backyard in May? I haven't been shrimping since I left Gulfport in 1984.
Title: Re: Bees In a Tree In Narin, Louisiana
Post by: johnnybigfish on January 30, 2009, 10:39:55 pm
You guys are making me mad!..Not really!!! But The smell of salt water is something I love!! I dont smell it that often, so maybe thats why I like it so much!!..And the fact that you never know whats gonna come up outta the water!!!
You guys be sure to gets some pics!!!
 Good deal on the trade JP!

your friend,
john
Title: Re: Bees In a Tree In Narin, Louisiana
Post by: JP on January 30, 2009, 10:47:05 pm
I was talking to Bud the other day and we will try and put together a get together at his place sometime perhaps this spring. He has the room.

I would bring you in out of the yard Iddee!

Johnny, maybe some day we can make a trip together for some of those stripers!


...JP
Title: Re: Bees In a Tree In Narin, Louisiana
Post by: JP on January 31, 2009, 11:44:41 am
how did you even get them close to the hive if you missed the queen?  when i miss one, seems the bees go everywhere but near the hive.   :(

Kathy, before I showed up the tree had been felled for about 4 days and it is typical for shb to reproduce very quickly in a situation such as this. Shb larvae get in between the compressed comb layers where bees cannot tend to matters.

Some of the honey had already fermented and combined with the shb mess, the environment was just not that hospitable.

As I removed the comb the bees gathered together and I would smoke the exposed cavity which would make them cluster together even more.

I had some drawn frames along with a couple of comb sections and honey from this hive in the deep, and this enticed them along with heavy smoking to congregate at and on the entrance with some going in, but most underneath and right up against the deep.

Once all of the comb was removed from the tree, I smoked the open tree cavity forcing the bees to the box. With even more and more smoke I got them to reluctantly enter and then sealed them in.


...JP
Title: Re: Bees In a Tree In Narin, Louisiana
Post by: Kathyp on January 31, 2009, 12:47:01 pm
i have a couple of cutouts lined up when the weather gets better.  every year i learn more and more from you guys.  thanks!!  :-)
Title: Re: Bees In a Tree In Narin, Louisiana
Post by: JP on January 31, 2009, 01:23:34 pm
i have a couple of cutouts lined up when the weather gets better.  every year i learn more and more from you guys.  thanks!!  :-)

Hey Kathy, I have finally arrived with this cut-out thing. Will perform cut-outs for fishing trips!!


...JP