JP, Schawee, Hardwood, Iddee and any one else that handles hive removals.
This past weekend I went out to pick up a Tuff box that a new home owner found under a bunch of brush shortly after moving in.
It is one of those tool boxes that go in the back of a Pickup. It is 3' long 2' wide and 2' tall with lots of bees coming and going and covering it. I thought I could just trim out the bushes and seal it up and with the help of my neighbor, Steve, put it in my truck. It was sunk 4" into the dirt and I could not move it. Dug it out and put a hole in the bottom, thinking it was full of water. It was dry. Used the shovel to wiggle it out. We slid it away from where the bees were returning to. We could barely pick it up at all. With the help from one of her neighbors we put it in a wheelbarrel and then in the truck. It weight in excess of 200 pounds. It has a very strong, friendly, hive in it.
My concern is if it is all honey. How am I going to open the lid with all that weight and if I can open it how do you do it without destroying all of the comb/brood. I was hoping to save the box but I suspect that will not be possible.
It might turn out the box is full of tools or metal with only shallow comb but I'm suspecting it might be honey.
Looking for ideas.
Jim