Author Topic: Free Bees if you live near Sutter Creek California (Read 6793 times)

annette · « **on:** April 04, 2009, 03:10:02 pm »

OK guys and gals. I received my first ever swarm call this morning from a woman in Sutter Creek (about 1 hour from me) who says there is a huge hive in a tree near her swimming pool. It has been there for about 1-1/2 weeks so I am assuming it is established. She says it is up about 15feet in a very flimsy tree. This is on her property.

Also she apparently watched where this swarm came from and it came from behind her house from a neighbors shed. The neighbors property is being rented and the renters state the bees are definitely going and coming from inside a wall in the shed.

I asked her to please call the home owner and get me the phone number so I can call and find out if they would be willing to let someone get into the wall and remove the bees.

The reason I am posting this is, I don't want to do an established hive that far up a tree. I was hoping in posting this here I would find someone who lives close by and would be willing to do this.

I placed a call with Ray Marler in Sacramento, but am waiting to hear if he would be interested.

I think I may drive out there tomorrow to check this out if no one comes forth to help.

Anyone????

iddee · « **Reply #1 on:** April 04, 2009, 03:43:50 pm »

In a very flimsy tree may mean it is an open air hive. If so, just treat it like a swarm, except use your bee suit and smoker. Just shake them into a hive and break off what little comb there is.
Definitely check it out and take photos. Maybe we can talk you through an easy removal.

Kathyp · « **Reply #2 on:** April 04, 2009, 03:52:42 pm »

do go and take your stuff. it may not even be as high as they say. people are not so good at estimating height. you may even be able to cut the whole branch and take them home. grab a big cardboard box if you have one. then you could take your time at home and set them up the way you want them.

JP · « **Reply #3 on:** April 04, 2009, 08:34:05 pm »

Annette, as Iddee has pointed out, if they have only been there a couple of weeks, even 3 weeks, there will be fresh white/pale flimsy as all heck comb.

You really have no choice on something like that but to treat them like a swarm.

Those young tender combs are virtually unworkable.

I hope you can go and look at it and get them.

Congratulations on your first swarm call!

...JP

annette · « **Reply #4 on:** April 04, 2009, 10:34:54 pm »

It looks like Ray Marler and I are going to get this hive sometime in the next week or so. There is also a cutout involved, but that is a separate issue. This hive swarmed off a hive that is from the shed in back of the womens house. The owners said we could do whatever it takes to get them. We will look at it and see what is up.

When you say to treat it like a swarm do you mean it is ok to shake them into a box??? I thought when it is established we would have to gently lower the hive into the box, but that is not the case with this???

Bee-Bop · « **Reply #5 on:** April 04, 2009, 11:09:36 pm »

As someone who has absolutely NO Experience;

Maybe a suggestion if I may, they said a flimsy tree, take a rope with you, perhaps you may be able to pull the limb down to within workable distance !

Just a idea, never worked a swarm and 1600 miles away, now that really brite !!

Bee-Bop

annette · « **Reply #6 on:** April 04, 2009, 11:24:39 pm »

That is good advice and who know it might come in handy. Will bring a rope.

Also for an update. It looks like Ray and I are going out tomorrow evening to get this hive. We have some bad weather in the forecast for this week and so it looks like tomorrow is the last day to possibly help this hive.

Will keep you informed and I will try to take photos if I can.

Annette

JP · « **Reply #7 on:** April 05, 2009, 12:03:00 am »

Quote from: annette on April 04, 2009, 10:34:54 pm

It looks like Ray Marler and I are going to get this hive sometime in the next week or so. There is also a cutout involved, but that is a separate issue. This hive swarmed off a hive that is from the shed in back of the womens house. The owners said we could do whatever it takes to get them. We will look at it and see what is up.

When you say to treat it like a swarm do you mean it is ok to shake them into a box??? I thought when it is established we would have to gently lower the hive into the box, but that is not the case with this???

What I mean Annette is to detach the combs one section at a time and shake what bees there are, gently into a hive set up of your choice.

Work carefully as you will want to get the queen and place her in the set up.

Ray will guide you on this. Think of it as a very small cut out, but with external colonies you have no void space that needs to be opened up.

Here's some pics of some that were anywhere from a week to two weeks old

...JP

annette · « **Reply #8 on:** April 05, 2009, 12:21:44 am »

Thanks JP

The photos are great. Wow I never knew they could create all that in such a short period of time.

I guess Ray will know what to do. He already said he plans on bringing them down slowly and carefully.

I will keep you posted on how it goes. Ray will keep these bees. I want him to have them after all the hard work and he is driving from a long distance to get to this place. I told him the bees were for him if he would go out with me to save them.

Thanks again
Annette

JP · « **Reply #9 on:** April 05, 2009, 12:27:15 am »

Maybe Ray takes the cut out and you get the tree swarm?

...JP

annette · « **Reply #10 on:** April 05, 2009, 12:33:37 am »

Quote from: JP on April 05, 2009, 12:27:15 am

Maybe Ray takes the cut out and you get the tree swarm?

...JP

Well, we shall see :delivery:

contactme_11 · « **Reply #11 on:** April 05, 2009, 09:02:14 pm »

So what happened?

annette · « **Reply #12 on:** April 06, 2009, 01:39:30 am »

We got there to the house in Sutter Creek this evening at 6:00 PM and the beehive was not 15 feet up, but about 25 feet up.

I thought it was to high up to get to,but Ray felt he could do it. He stood on a high step ladder and had his super with frames up on top of that ladder directly below the bees. He took a pole with a bucket on the end and was almost able to reach right up under the bees. There were some branches in the way. He gave the bucket a good push into the branches and the bees fell into the bucket, but there was a branch in the way and when he went to bring the bucket down, the bucket turned upside down and the bees all fell out. Lots of them fell into the super on top of the ladder and he was hoping that the queen fell in there. But as we watched it was apparent that the queen was still up in a cluster back up in the tree. So he tried one more time and this time he got the bucket under the cluster really good and most of the cluster fell into the bucket. He dumped the bucket of bees into the super and we waited to see if we got the queen this time. There was just a small cluster of bees left up in the tree. After a while it seemed that the cluster was getting bigger and bigger again in the tree. Still did not get the queen. Or he got the queen and she flew back up (perhaps this hive established itself by drawing comb)

But there was a great amount of interest in the super and he is hoping that the swarm (if it is indeed a swarm) will go into the super by themselves. He is going back in a couple of days and this time he will cut the branch and bring the whole cluster down.

I really did not do much of anything except stand around and worry. Ray did everything including carrying all his tools and ladders etc. He let me have it that I wasn't helping him much, but I told him I did not want to break a nail (per JP). Really there wasn't much for me to do. He forgave me when I treated him to the best piece of blueberry pie on this earth at a little coffee shop on the main street.

There was a cutout involved also and Ray is going back to get that another day. The people who owned this house were extremely wonderful people. Sutter Creek is an adorable western town with funky little shops and restaurants. The ride over there is so, so beautiful. Miles of rolling hills and vistas. The house was an historical house and would have made a wonderful bed and breakfast. The people invited Ray and I to come back and have dinner with them. They really meant it.

So this is the story. I never would have attempted this on my own in a million years.

The story continues later this week. We shall see if Ray is successful in getting this hive. I am out of the picture on this next time.

RayMarler · « **Reply #13 on:** April 06, 2009, 02:21:29 am »

I'm not near as good a writer as Annette is, so cannot add much more to the colorful dialog she has given. It was an adventure and I only got stung perhaps 15 times before I put on my veil and sleeves with gloves. Annette is such a sweet person, she actually was quite helpful, taking the Pole-bucket from me and handing it back as needed. I was on the top of a 10 foot ladder with a steel tubing 10 feet long with a bucket that swiveled on the end of it, so I'd say the swarm was close to 25 feet up in the air. There did not appear to be any comb drawn in the tree branches so there is a very good chance the swarm will move into the 8 frame deep I left up on top of the ladder. It has 3 frames of drawn comb with some honey and pollen and 5 frames with starter strips. I'll be calling to check on it tomorrow evening, and may just go up there again with a pole pruner and clip off the branches that are in the way and try again to knock the swarm into my bucket on the pole and get them boxed (that is if they have not already moved into the box by evening). Tomorrow is supposed to be decent enough weather with a weak cold front moving in on Tuesday.

Thanks so much Annette for the most wonderful piece of Blackberry pie with vanilla ice cream I think I've ever eaten!!!

annette · « **Reply #14 on:** April 06, 2009, 02:27:06 am »

OH yeah it was blackberry pie!!!!

And thanks Ray for saying I helped you even though I didn't. You are a great sport and have a wonderful attitude.

JP · « **Reply #15 on:** April 06, 2009, 09:14:51 am »

Well, well, well, now what an adventure you two had. Good luck getting them. That was a great story, even nicer if we had some pics?

...JP

Kathyp · « **Reply #16 on:** April 06, 2009, 10:26:43 am »

don't worry about it annette. one will come your way that you can get. the first one is a little intimidating, but after that, it's a rush. you'll be posting your pics in the removal sections in not time!

sutter creek is a great place. so is placerville, or at least it used to be. have not been there for a long time. so many great old places stuck in those hills. that was all my stomping grounds for part of my teen years. used to be a great swimming hole on the bear river. perfect for cutting school and skinny dipping :-D

annette · « **Reply #17 on:** April 06, 2009, 01:15:13 pm »

Quote from: JP on April 06, 2009, 09:14:51 am

Well, well, well, now what an adventure you two had. Good luck getting them. That was a great story, even nicer if we had some pics?

...JP

I was to nervous and did not take many photos. some came out blurred, which is an amazing thing to do with my point and click camera. I have some of Ray doing the work, but it is up to him if he wants to post these. I sent them to him last night. JP did you notice I mentioned you. I goofed around with Ray how you would say I was a slacker.

annette · « **Reply #18 on:** April 06, 2009, 01:17:34 pm »

Quote from: kathyp on April 06, 2009, 10:26:43 am

don't worry about it annette. one will come your way that you can get. the first one is a little intimidating, but after that, it's a rush. you'll be posting your pics in the removal sections in not time!

sutter creek is a great place. so is placerville, or at least it used to be. have not been there for a long time. so many great old places stuck in those hills. that was all my stomping grounds for part of my teen years. used to be a great swimming hole on the bear river. perfect for cutting school and skinny dipping :-D

Yea Kathy I was very intimidated by it. So out of my league!!!
Placerville is still a very cute little town and a fun place to take relatives. Amazing that you lived out here.

Kathyp · « **Reply #19 on:** April 06, 2009, 01:25:13 pm »

your league is what you decide it will be. you'll be amazed at how much fun you have after you get over the jitters :-). i got lucky and did a cutout first. i was a wreck and it turned out to be two hives and way more work than i had anticipated. after that, everything was easy!

i lived in meadow vista. my family still lives there. my grandmother had purchased property on the lake many years ago, and when my father retired from the military, that's where they settled. before that, we lived there off and on when he was deployed.