Bee Tree advice needed

[jmblakeney]

Hey all,
I just got a call about a bee tree a man has down the road from me.  Everything I'm about to say is from phone conversation and I cannot verify anything yet.  He states this has been here for about 6-7 yrs.  He states no chemicals has been sprayed on these bees, ever.  He says you can see the comb thru a split in the tree.  The tree is rotting now, and he want some one to come get them.  I am very interested in doing the work to get these bees.  I am looking for everyones advice as to how to approach this, are there any more questions I should ask him?  I am going there after work today to look at them and will be taking pictures.  I will post these on this thread tonite so I can give better details about the situation.

Thanks for any and all help.
James

[gardeningfireman]

First, you need to find out if he will let you cut down the tree. If yes, trim it down to either end of the colony. Cut or split open the log that contains the colony, and put the comb in frames as in a normal cutout.  If he doesn't want the tree cut down, you will probably be limited to doing a trap out or setting up swarm boxes.

[hankdog1]

Best way to go about it is to trim the tree down to the smallest size you can load it up in the truck take it home and just let it swarm and capture the swarms off of it.  Doing a cutout on a tree is most definately no easy task too many ways to kill a queen that way. 

[AllenF]

If the tree is real bad off, it may be real hard to cut it down and haul it.   You may could cut it out with it standing or just do a trap out if you can seal it up well enough.

[jmblakeney]

Hey guys,
Well I took the pics but, during editing it screwed up the pic and I can only view half of the pic.  I'll do my best to describe the situation.  The gentleman is very nice and willing to let me do however I wish to get the bees.  He did state that he thought it would be better to set up traps around his property to get more bees in the long run.  He says he isn't needing them gone immediately but just wants the bees taken care of.  They are in a split trunk cedar tree with the trunk they are hived in being the dead side.  I never did see the entrance as its somewhere on the inside facing the other trunk.  Here's what I'm kinda leary on, I never saw the bees bringing in pollen.  I didn't spend the whole time searching each bee, but I did make it a point to check.  However, it was at 7 o'clock at night too.  There was plenty of activity in and out.  No erratic flying, very calm natured,  no protections needed with my face less than a foot from the hive.  The man states that when the weather began warming up they began flying.  So there has been activity for a lil over a month and I am hopeful this isn't a dead out.   The trunk is a manageable size if cut and brought to the house, but it would be easy to cut an access hole as suggested by Allen. 
Please continue the suggestions, as all are helpful
Thanks so much everyone,
James

[G3farms]

Hey James, depending on where you are at in Anderson county I would be glad to lend you a hand if you need it.

A couple of swarm traps could produce a swarm or two from the tree in the short run and then cut the tree and bring it home later in the summer to do a cut out. Does this fella have any equipment that could load it on a trailer.......bobcat, tractor with front end loader or boom pole, etc.

[iddee]

1... Take new pics and post them.

2... Get G3 or other beeks in to help.

[jmblakeney]

I would be glad to lend you a hand if you need it.

G3, I have a beekeeper friend of mine coming to look at it with me today.  I greatly appreciate the offer though.  It's good to know of someone who is willing to help.

Does this fella have any equipment that could load it on a trailer.......bobcat, tractor with front end loader or boom pole, etc.

No, he doesn't but man that would be helpfull.  I am planning on just cut the section of tree down to the hive part and dollying it to the truck.  about 50 ft.
 

1... Take new pics and post them.

I will try to do this on the removal.  We'll see how these turn out.

Thanks you guys for all your help, advice and offers.  It is greatly appreciated

James

[jmblakeney]

Just want to updated everyone on the bee tree.

We tried to trim the tree down to the smallest possible and take it home but was unsuccessful due to 1. The tree was so entangled in some overgrowth that it wouldn't fall. 2. My chainsaw locked up halfway thru the project.  (I was so ticked)
So we ended up having to do a cutout with a batt operated sawzall from the owner.

We tied the brood comb into the frames and setup the new hive in front of the tree with the entrance facing the tree.  They all marched in as pretty as you please.

I left the hive there for two days and picked it up last night.
I went out today to check on them and to verify the queen was there and in working order.
I found her on the 9th frame working about.

Here's another pic of her big ole booty: :-D

I think this is what JP calls tiger striped in his videos? I'm not really for sure.

These were extremely gently bees.  For the most part the only time I got popped was due to me squishing the bees between my fingers (they got me 3 times right above the cuticle of the fingernail, DANG that hurts).  Other than that one puff at the entrance is all thats needed (if that). 
I have never had bees of my own, and this is my first hive and experience on my own and I feel very comfortable with their demeanor.  I am very pleased with them and I am tickled to death to have my own now and know that I got them from a cutout I did.
 
Thank you all for your help and suggestions,
James

[Jim134]

Looks like you got the job DONE  X:X X:X



  BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)

[hardwood]

Good job! Great picks too!

Scott

[annette]

OH that was wonderful, glad you got the queen and just love the photos.

Thanks
Annette

[bee-nuts]

Im Jealous!  Wish I could have at least been there to see it.

Congrats!

[G3farms]

Looks like you did a great job on getting the bees out of the tree. What a wonderful confidence builder to get your first bees from a cut out you did yourself. Good pics by the way and another plus of finding the queen on your own!!

Kind of sounds like you are hooked on the bees now, it is something that never lets go of you for some reason.

[AllenF]

Great pics.

[jmblakeney]

Thank you guys for the compliments.  It was a lot of fun doing this and very educational.  The picture was actually taken with my phone on macro setting.  It's a Droid 2 Global, it has never taken photos this well before.  I was very pleased. 

G3, thanks again for your offer to help, I woulds taken you up on it if my friend wouldn't have been able to.

Thanks again,
James

[redhat]

Great pics.

[Tommyt]

Great Job
One heck of a way to get into Bee's
This Removal Page is Priceless

Thanks

Tommyt