Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: beesharp on December 17, 2004, 12:48:24 am
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I did a bee removal last weekend. I tried to talk the homeowner into letting them "bee" until spring and they would have much better chance to survive. They were adament that the bees were a hazard to their backyard (obviously they had been there for a long time, but never noticed...) and they had to go or be destroyed. It was a big hive probably 2.5' tall and thicker than a basketball! We had some great weather last weekend, so as a "community service" I removed the bees with little concern for their survival considering the time of year. As I was doing the removal, I got somewhat attached to the bees. They were just sweethearts to work considering the invasive bee-vac activities going on and how big the hive was - guessing they came from a spring swarm.
(http://jrsharp.com/photo/hive.JPG)
I was not able to salvage any comb because of the branches growing through the combs, so I just took the 5+lbs of bees. I had a top bar hive ready in case I picked up a swarm so I dumped the bees in there with the plan of feeding them and hoping for an easy winter/good weather. Unfortunately the weather didn't cooperate and the temperature was dropping into the 20's and the bees had no food stored or any comb at all. I screened the entrance to the hive and moved it into the garage where the temperture was more moderate and hopefully they would take some syrup and start building some comb. I don't even know if the queen is there and/or OK from the removal....
(http://jrsharp.com/photo/tbhive.JPG)
Since moving them into the garage and a couple attempts with feeders that don't drown a bunch of bees they seem to be doing ok - even taking some pollen substitute. For feeding I settled on syrup in a ziplock bag with razor-slits cut in the bag. The bees line up to the slits like cows at a trough!
(http://jrsharp.com/photo/feeder.JPG)
Do I have the most understanding wife on the planet?
Well see how it goes, pretty slim chances for this bunch...interesting anyway.
Hopefully we'll get some good weather and they can go back outside!
Jim
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That's really cool how you're going through every attempt to help them along.
At some point they will need to start flying, if for nothing else than to have their cleansing flights to go potty. :)
But I'd think that if they build some comb, AND if you DID get the queen, they just might make it!
Beth
(and yes, you do have an understanding wife - LOL)
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I love to see bees build wild comb but I rather have it in my hive! It would have been cool to get a taste of there honey, o well, I guess next time. bye
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That was a beautiful hive too. If I had been you, I wouldn't have been able to resist cutting away at that comb, even if it was choppy pieces. I would have tried to be careful, but I still would have had the same goals as a bear tearing into the comb - HONEY. Secondary goal would have been to get some pieces with brood to tie into the hive.
But I can see that comb being all woven through the tree limbs wouldn't have made it easy.
Beth
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With that feeder on the top, it almost looks like an observation hive. Maybe you could fasion a tube from the hive to the outside world and kinda make it into an observation hive of sorts!?! :D
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Nice save, hope they make it. I really think I would have taken a pair of pruning shears and cut as of the much branchs away as possiable and tied it into frames. But I read you are using a top bar system so tieing comb to it may have been rather difficult eh.
:D Al
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The original plan was to save some some comb and tie it into frames. I brought empty frames, string and a 5-frame nuc with me. It seemed every piece I cut out had a twig in it or an odd curl shape. I ended up with a bunch of very small pieces, so that's when I decided to try them in the top bar hive. Also, there was very little honey and no brood this time year.
The latest update is there are probably 1000 bees walking around my garage floor laughing at my attempt to keep them safely & securely in the hive - :roll: This might not have been my best idea!
Jim
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We are all pulling for you and this hive.
Looks good so far.
Much Luck
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I think it's amazing that they built all that comb out in the open, not in some creviss or trunk. Great picture!
-- Kris
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Wouldnt the comb get water logged every time it rained? And what about the protection of there queen, there is no way they could produce heat for the winteer. bye
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nice picture and i bet that hive weighed alot to , sure was a pretty one.
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here a story like yours and it has pictures to.
http://www.pollinator.com/feral/calamity.htm
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Thats a sad one there. It would be great to have a queen that could withstand mites. to bad, bye
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Never said if he went up the tree to check into the rest of hollow for more bees, queen, brood.
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Yeah I noticed that too, but wouldnt it be to dangerous to climb up to a large oak tree that is highly rotted. Last time I looked a oak is pretty darn high and I wouldnt want to fall from one. bye