Missed opportunity

[skflyfish]

About a week ago I got a call from a logger in Irons, MI stating they unknowingly dropped a bee tree and wanted to know if I wanted the bees. Last week was crazy work wise, so I declined. They called again on Sunday stating the bees were still there and I could have them if I wanted.

If you have ever been to Irons, MI, you know it isn't much. Just scrub oak and scrub pines. No farms, no orchards, just National forest. So the thought of feral bees was enticing.

I loaded up and drove there today and found the bees pretty much gone. I don't blame the logger as they were genuinely interested in saving the bees.

So I left a nuc with a few bees in it and some fresh foundation. My swarm catch of a week ago, couldn't make up their mind after 4 days, so there is a slim chance that the swarm will return, but I doubt it. I will check the nuc in a week and bring it home, either way. I told the logger he could keep the bucket, because in a couple of weeks it would be a winters supply of wax worms. That is, if the local bear doesn't find it before the bees rob it out.

It was a nice day for a drive to a nice area, anyway.  :-D

Jay

Video

[AllenF]

Sorry to hear that about the hive.  I don't think the swarm will return unless it is to finish robbing the nuc out.  You might could have brought the handful of bees home, but I think you did right with what was there.  I don't guess you need anymore wax moths.

[greenbtree]

Yeah, been there - just this last week.  Was on vacation three states away, checked my voice mail, and had two bee removal calls.  One was an ancient maple that the guy said was full of bees that came down in a storm.  I called back to see if he could wait, got his voice mail and left a message, but he never called back.  I hope he at least found another beekeeper.

JC

[skflyfish]

Yes it was too bad that I missed them. If I leaned anything from JP's videos, it was NOT to do a cut-out in hot weather. Last week was brutally hot, so I am glad work kept me from it. :-D

The logger said this was the first bee tree he has come across in the last 15 years. Considering all of the comb was light, this may be encouraging. Especially in the middle of a National Forest with minimal forage.